"Everybody knows...." This is really outrageous rhetoric

[PCIntern]

Last edited Tue Jun 9, 2026, 09:16 AM - Edit history (1)

The Right Wing Fascist/Nazi-speak is utilizing this pair of words prior to each lie they tell. It is a presumptive condition that what is about to follow is a UNIVERSALLY ACCEPTED TRUTH.

Everybody knows that the elections were rigged

Everybody knows that solar and wind power is useless

Everybody knows that Joe Biden is enfeebled.

When I was in college, I had an acquaintance who, parenthetically, went on to a nationally renowned career in medicine. She was overwhelmingly opinionated about absolutely everything and would begin nine sentences out of ten with the words “You know,”. It was thus nearly impossible to discuss or argue with her because, well, “you know” you’d be on the wrong side of, well, any thesis.

It is a form of hypnosis and has aided Trump and his repulsive minions in basically forcing people to either agree with them or get off the bus. It is insidious and beyond undemocratic.

And one more thing: You know, everybody knows that these people are Nazis at heart.

[NJCher]

1. I taught just the opposite

In my communication classes. I told them to beware of “you know” because it means the speaker doesn’t know.

“You know” is a speech crutch for the inarticulate..

Points were taken off in speeches where the speaker said “you know” more than once.

[dave99]

22. 'You know' is the short form of - "You, know 'cause I don't"

[gab13by13]

2. What ticks me off

Is when “they” say, the American people.

The American people don’t want ugly wind turbines, etc.

[SidneyR]

5. And ironically, oil spills and spewing smoke stacks are way uglier than wind turbines.

[FakeNoose]

3. Inevitably, the person who says "Everybody says..." actually saw it as a meme on their cellphone

[PatSeg]

4. Oh yes, that is a classic con trick

And sometimes he'll say, "I know it and you do too". It eliminates any cause for discussion or debate.

[KS Toronado]

6. Everybody knows elected republicOns only care about the richest 1%.

[ToxMarz]

7. Many people are saying...

[Permanut]

17. Love this one..

Classic propaganda.

[calimary]

21. But how many of those people are even worth listening to?

[RainCaster]

8. Everybody knows that Republicans are pedophiles

Why else would they protect them?

[cbabe]

9. When my students said 'everyone knows', I would answer 'everyone in the known universe?'

[Harker]

10. Proof? Evidence? All you have to do is look.

[littlemissmartypants]

11. I'll take How to Propaganda for $1000 Alex.

[Martin68]

12. If you precede a statement with the phrase "everybody knows" then it is highly unlikely the statement

that follows it is true. If everybody knows something, then there is no need to state that fact up front. It's like admitting you are either lying or very unsure of your premise. And, as the OP points out, highly likely that the speaker is desperate to persuade others to believe something that just isn't true.

[SergeStorms]

13. Everyone knows......

that everything coming out of a Trumpublican's mouth is a lie, but some refuse to admit it if it furthers their own agenda.

EVERYONE KNOWS!

[ColoringFool]

14. Your final sentence is intentionally ironic, no? Because yes, EVERYBODY DOES KNOW .

"these people are Nazis at heart"!!

And if there are some who do not know this, they are missing a "sapiens" from Homo sapiens sapiens!

[PCIntern]

15. Yes of course

[SouthBayDem]

16. The classic bandwagon fallacy

The bandwagon fallacy, also known as the appeal to the masses or appeal to common belief fallacy, is the logical fallacy of claiming that something is true because everyone believes it. Whether that belief is actually true or not doesn’t matter—if an arguer claims that a position is true because it’s popular, the arguer is using the bandwagon fallacy.

(Grammarly)

The thankfully former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene had a famous example when she advocated for a national divorce on grounds that everyone she knows supported it: “We need to separate by red states and blue states and shrink the federal government. Everyone I talk to says this.”

[3Hotdogs]

18. Wanna know what everybody knows? "Everybody Knows, ' by Leonard Cohen.

[Aussie105]

19. Everybody knows . . .

that someone who uses that phrase is just full of bovine excrement.

And it triggers my old-man Oppositional Defiance brain activity.

"Oppositional defiance, or ODD, is a behavioral disorder characterized by a persistent pattern of anger, irritability, defiance, and vindictive behavior toward authority figures."

I see it as a defense mechanism rather than a 'behavioral disorder'.

[kentuck]

20. "Everybody knows Todd Blanche is very honest"...

No. Everybody does not know that.