Don’t tell your audience what they know or feel
I understand why people who are giving talks or writing articles use phrases like these that assume a shared experience:
- We’ve all had the experience of …
- Everyone here knows …
- You’d be surprised at …
But I’d like to recommend not doing that. Such phrases are very often inaccurate (twice yesterday, presenters said things like these and then were contradicted by audience members), and when they’re inaccurate, they can alienate audience members and distract from the point that you’re trying to make. And even when they’re accurate, they don’t add much.
Some possible alternatives:
- Here’s a common experience: …
- Many of you may already know this, but in case not: …
- I was surprised at …