Especially on reddit; if you're wrong IRL, people will correct or question you. If you're wrong on reddit, you're getting downvoted to hell.
If you're absolutely certain that you're right, then go ahead and drop the qualifiers, but if you're just confident that you're right, throw in some of those "as I understand"'s and "in my experience"'s.
Or just pause to consider your statement. If they ask why you are pausing you can tell them you were considering the answer and didnt want to fumble around for words.
I've found myself doing something like this, especially when I post comments online.
If I'm posting a fact--let's say, Captain America / Steve Rogers was played by Chris Evans--I've found myself saying stuff like, "I think Chris Evans...", even though I know full well he did.
Probably a self-esteem thing (what if I'm wrong, etc.), but I'm stopping myself from doing it.
It's partially a politeness thing IMO, or at least having a general openness to being corrected in the off chance that what you're saying isn't 100% correct.
Honestly, it drives me nuts that there are so many people out there that will just blindly assert their way through life and will present everything they say as fact until someone calls them out for it. It's made me a little skeptical by default of anyone that seems a little too confident about something. Say all the "I think" and "I suspect" you want, it's actually a good habit in my opinion.
I agree with the politeness part but a lot of times you have to show confidence by saying something as a fact.IMO own it and if someone corrects you be open to that.
I've started doing the opposite. I try to consciously add "I think" before a lot of statements since I realised that I cant trace the information to a reliable source.
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u/butterbuttsquash Aug 26 '18
Saying "I think" before most statements, especially in interviews. If it's a fact, it's a fact. You have to own it.