What authors can learn from a new study on “you” vs. “we” pronouns

What authors can learn from a new study on “you” vs. “we” pronouns

In the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, Stanford University researchers Mohamed A. Hussein and Zakary L. Tormala published a paper titled “You versus we: How pronoun use shapes perceptions of receptiveness.” Thinkers and authors including Daniel Pink and Tamsen Webster have cited the study as justification for using “we” in persuasive contexts. Is this research…

The Rationalist Papers (20): Analysis of the candidates’ words at the town halls
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The Rationalist Papers (20): Analysis of the candidates’ words at the town halls

Donald Trump and Joe Biden participated in competing town hall broadcasts last week. I analyzed their speech. Trump talked about himself a lot more, but Biden talked about voters and what he would do for them. Just a reminder: these Rationalist Papers posts are for the group I call the deciders: conservative, moderate, undecided, and…

The pronoun conundrum: “we” vs. “you” in business advice

The pronoun conundrum: “we” vs. “you” in business advice

Business books are full of advice. They’re also full of pronouns — and pronoun-driven confusion — around when to use “we” and when to use “you.” Start with this: you should write directly to the reader. Compare the following two alternatives: Marketers must spend less time on SEO and more time on the creation of…

The New York Times’ boldly effective response to Trump’s libel threats
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The New York Times’ boldly effective response to Trump’s libel threats

The New York Times published an article about Trump sexually assaulting two women. Trump threatened to sue for libel. The letter that the Times‘ lawyer sent in response really hits you smack on the forehead, because it’s so different from anything else you read in the paper. I’ll analyze. There are three kinds of things you…