People know that computers can be hacked. But what’s not as obvious is that people can also be hacked. Where computers can be hacked with code, people can be hacked with rhetoric. Understanding how rhetoric can be used to manipulate you can be thought of as antivirus for your mind.

One such form of hacking is through the leading question. A leading question is a question that is designed to control a person’s thoughts, answers, and even sometimes behaviors. It’s a hypnotic trick which, if you don’t recognize it, can get you to say or do something that you otherwise might not have.

One example is the loaded question. A loaded question is a question that contains an assumption, but is phrased in such a way so that the assumption avoids being challenged.

Here’s an example that you might see on social media:

Do you suppose that those racists are going to push for a border wall, again?

Larson E.

Here, Larson E. is trying to pull a fast one: his question is whether those who favor a border wall to stem the tide of unnaturalized illegal immigrants will continue to do so, but it contains the assumption that they are motivated by racism. In reality, the people being impugned as racists may be of the understanding that certain values are not universal, and that illegal migrants may commit crimes or otherwise weaken the culture.

One can call out the claim that racism motivates those calling for a border wall, but the one posing the question may insist that this wasn’t his question, and that he wanted to know whether they still wanted a border wall. Remember, the idea is to insulate the racism claim from challenge, because people like Larson E. wants the claim of racism to be accepted without dispute.

Another trick to watch out for is the false dichotomy. A false dichotomy is a question that is phrased to suggest that there are only two possible answers, when there could be many more.

Here’s an example of a false dichotomy in action:

What do you propose we do about those rebels disrupting the supply lines? Do we withdraw or ignore them?

Skip2

Two options are presented: cede ground or continue as though there’s no problem. In reality, there may be other ways to handle the matter, such as fight or negotiate. Perhaps Skip2 didn’t suggest the other options because he didn’t prefer them.

The person presenting the false dichotomy may be motivated by a desire not to call attention to a decision that he doesn’t consider preferable, but it’s also possible that he wishes to present a course of action as unwise, so he presents only a couple of the most unfavorable outcomes as one that one can reasonably expect. Here’s an example:

If you confront him, you’ll likely get into a fight, or at least waste your time.

Willie M.

Of course, it’s possible that both parties would reach an agreement or a compromise, but Willie M. isn’t expressing much expectation of such outcomes.

To be fair, a person isn’t always obligated to present all the possibilities, as there’s often the expectation that you’re able to consider the ones that you can reasonably expect, on your own. Presenting an incomplete list of possibilities or options is sometimes done for brevity, not with malicious intent.

Leading questions can sometimes be phrased to suggest a yes/no answer. This is often an attempt to limit your options, or trick you into a false confession.

Are you ever going to stop stealing from the poor?

TehCheet1337

If you answer yes or no, you’re confessing to stealing from the poor, which is just what the question is designed to do! The idea isn’t to determine your sincerely-held viewpoints, it’s to trick you into making a confession, however false that confession may be!

Interestingly, the Japanese have an answer to this. While they could answer “hai” (yes) or “ie” (no), their language has a third one-word answer, “mu”, which means something like “impossible” or “inapplicable”. It’s a one-word way for a person to say that a question doesn’t apply to them.

At one point, I worked a customer service job. One of the things that staff was trained to do was ask what’s referred to as suggestive questions, such as the following:

How can I help you, today?

Notice how the question is not whether the clerk can help, but how. The question as phrased makes the customer less likely to be left to their own decision-making, and more likely to state how they can be assisted. This makes the clerk more likely to be involved with their decision-making, and thus more likely to make a purchase. And thus, another sale is made!

Considering how often leading questions are used, it’s not a bad idea to be ready to answer by saying that “the question is wrong”. Then, you can point out how the question is wrong, so that onlookers can immediately see through the trick being employed. Then, if you wish, you can ask them to rephrase the question, and perhaps you might not get the same bad-faith rhetoric. But don’t get your hopes too high.

By the way, tricks such as these are sometimes used in interrogations by law enforcement in an effort to trick the people being questioned into making confessions that may be admissible in court. It’s because of this that the first thing you ask for when being questioned is to have a lawyer present representing you, and not answer any questions until you have one there.

They say that you don’t “lawyer up” unless you have something to hide. They say this to discourage you from protecting yourself when you’re questioned. The fact is, the questioner in an interrogation (or “interview”, as they may rephrase it) is not your friend, however they may speak or act, and you’re not in a fair fight. If you have a lawyer present, the nature of the questions will change, because a seasoned lawyer will know the tactics being employed, and will advise you right then and there whether you should answer a question.

When it comes down to it, there are people out there who are out to manipulate you, and it can be as simple as how they ask questions, which they may expect you to answer. If you learn to call out the questions as phrased, or at least state that the question is wrong, this trick will be a lot less likely to have the desired effect.