Last Man Standing are articles intended to help the average guy prepare for some of life’s oddest events. It’s just advice. It’s better than being clueless.

Shakespeare famously wrote, “All the world’s a stage.” This means different things to different people, but what's clear from this statement is that an awful lot of acting is going on in the world. Unfortunately, some people let the ‘acting’ side of life take over, and acting (which is really a nice way of saying ‘lying’) becomes the norm.

The art, and the science, of spotting a liar takes time to master, and it’s an imperfect art at best. But if you do suspect someone of being less than truthful with you, there are a few signs you can keep an eye out for that will help you sift through the lies.

Inconsistencies

If the details in a person’s story keep on changing, there’s a good chance you’re being lied to. And as the details change, more lies have to be told in order to cover up the slips.

A few well placed, and unanticipated questions on your part can toss a monkey wrench into the mix, and mess up the liar’s plans. If the person you suspect of lying is easily thrown off track, you can bet the story isn't true.

False Emotions

Only the most practiced liars have total control over their facial expressions, Odd smiles, misplaced laughs and grimaces at the wrong time, or strange facial twitches are dead giveaways that some is telling a lie.

Overselling The Story

Sometimes liars oversell their story, and try to convince you of a tale’s verity with too many details. If the facts are laid on thick, and too minute in description, there’s a good chance someone is selling you a load of overly ripe goat manure.

Keep An Eye Out For Microexpressions

We see this in the movies all the time. Someone is acting very pleased and extremely happy, but then, just for a moment, a look of anger or worry flashes across the person’s face. These microexpressions, hidden beneath the surface ‘acting,’ often betray the true intent behind a liar’s false words. Don’t look for what a person wants you to see, but what he or she is trying to conceal.

Pay Attention to Body Language

People engaged in the act of lying tend to fidget around more than normal. They will probably glance to the right when searching for more lies to tell you (that’s the side of the brain we use for making things up). If the liar in question touches his or her lips, hair and face often, and seems physically uncomfortable, that’s a strong sign that he or she blowing smoke up your ass.

"You Can Trust Me, Really…"

Phrases like “trust me,” “believe me,” “I’m an honest person,” “I swear this is true” and so on point to the fact that what’s being said probably isn’t true. A person who keeps on repeating these kinds of phrases is trying to gain your confidence by drilling it into your head that he or she is trustworthy, when that couldn’t be farther away from the truth.

Too Much Stalling

When you take a liar off guard by asking a penetrating question, he or she might repeat the question back to you, in order to gain more time to think up a creative and credible lie (watch the eyes, and make sure they don’t shift to the right).

“Why did you come home last night without your wallet, your pants, two black eyes and someone else’s child?”

“Uh, why did I come home last night without my pants and with someone else’s child? That’s a very good question, and one that deserves a thoughtful answer…”

You can stop the interrogation right there if you want to, because whatever is coming next is going to be one whopper of a lie. Watch out for the signs, and trust your gut, and you should probably be able to spot the liars in your life. Hopefully they are few and far in between.

[Via MYPI]

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