The document reflects on the Netflix show 'Marco Polo,' emphasizing the political intrigue surrounding Kublai Khan and how Marco Polo serves as an observer. It discusses language as a tool for concealing and expressing truths, highlighting how people often use it to obscure real opinions and sentiments. The author encourages the reader to consider how they can subtly communicate deeper truths to others.

2. Lately I've been watching "Marco Polo"
on Netflix.

3. So far, it's pretty good. It's more about
Kublai Khan and all the political
intrigue than Polo, who is really the
observer proxy for the audience.

4. If you can get past the language
assumptions (some Italian guy is
speaking fluently to a Mongol King in
China) it's pretty interesting how he
chooses his words carefully when
speaking to the "Great Khan."

5. Since there's all kinds of inter-family
backstabbing and jockeying for power,
Kahn uses Polo as a kind of "spy" to
watch some of his family members and
report what he sees.

6. From the beginning, Kahn decides to
keep Polo because he describes things
pretty well.

7. But most of his descriptions seem to
"hide" certain truths, as he's worried
what will happen if the Great Kahn
realizes what people REALLY think
about him.

8. This is how most people use language.
A great thinker once described
language as a "tool to hide what's
really on our mind."

9. Few people understand that's only
HALF of it's power.

10. Most of us are pretty natural at using
language to hide certain truths.

11. Somebody works for a boss and did an
absolute crappy job, for example.
Another manager calls the boss for a
reference, and the boss says
something like, "Well, he always
showed up on time. And he never
really used any swear words."

12. Now that "sort of" sounds good, but in
reality it's clear that the boss didn't
think so, since had nothing to say
about his work performance.

13. We do this all the time. We hear an
idea that's total crap, and we say,
"Hmm, that's interesting."

14. But the real power of language is
when you stop covertly hiding truths,
and start to covertly expressing truths.

15. Truths about yourself, your ideas, your
business. Anything.

16. And it has the incredible effect of
letting your listener or reader
"discover" the meaning on their own.

17. What ideas would you to covertly slip
into the minds of others?

18. mindpersuasion.com