Why Secrets Are So Hard to Keep & The Curious Quirks of Language - SYSK Choice

Eye contact can be tricky. Too little can make you seem bored or distracted. Too much can get uncomfortable fast. So what is the right amount? This episode begins with some fascinating research on eye contact and the subtle signals you send with your eyes. http://www.spring.org.uk/2013/07/how-eye-contact-works.php Someone tells you a secret and makes you promise not to tell. You intend to keep that promise — so why can the urge to tell someone else become so strong? Secrets can weigh on us, yet revealing one can damage relationships and destroy trust. So which secrets do we keep, which do we tell and who do we tell them to? Andrew Gold is an investigative journalist, podcaster and filmmaker who has made documentaries for the BBC and HBO. He is author of The Psychology of Secrets: My Adventures with Murderers, Cults and Influencers (https://amzn.to/3MiwXoS). Listen as he explores why keeping something to yourself can be surprisingly difficult. Why is the alphabet in the order ABCDE? Why do we have uppercase and lowercase letters? What’s the dot over a lowercase i and j for? And why do we capitalize I? Behind many of the oddities of English are some wonderful stories. Linguist Paul Anthony Jones joins me to explain how some of the strangest features of our language got that way. He has a popular YouTube channel devoted to language and is author of Why Is This a Question?: Everything About the Origins and Oddities of Language You Never Thought to Ask (https://amzn.to/3Z0Nrtm). Humans have long debated monogamy, but some animals seem to have it figured out. A handful form remarkably strong pair bonds that can last for years — sometimes for life. Listen as I reveal which creatures are among nature’s most devoted couples. https://www.treehugger.com/animals-that-mate-for-life-4869332 PLEASE SUPPORT OUR SPONSORS MONARCH: Write your own money story with Monarch! Use promo code SYSK at ⁠https://Monarch.com⁠ to get your 1st year of Monarch Core half off at just $50 AQUATRU: Head to ⁠https://AquaTru.com⁠ now and get 20% off your purifier using promo code SYSK AquaTru even comes with a 30-day best-tasting water guarantee or your money back! WAYFAIR: Ready to upgrade your home for way less? Head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Wayfair.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ right now to shop all things home and get your space ready for less. QUINCE: Find your next Fall favorites at Quince! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Quince.com/sysk⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too! DELL: Built for those who want better. The Dell XPS, built for you! SHOPIFY: It's time to turn those "what ifs" into CHA CHING with Shopify Today! Sign up for your $1 per month trail and start selling today at ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Shopify.com/realm⁠⁠⁠⁠ INDEED: Get a $75 Sponsored Job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://Indeed.com/PODCAST⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices