evidence: They always can extract an emotional reaction. But not all words hurt equally. Words in the grey area between the truth and lie hurt more than those that are either. Outright lies will not affect and there is a certain sense of resignation with unalienable truths. But those things that you would like to be untrue but could very likely be true are the ones that result in an emotional response. Take any investor in any space. If you called them illiterate, it would probably not even make a difference but if you said they were "glorified gamblers" throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks; oh boy! It would deliver a reaction.