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I Just Wanted to Clarify ... Sometimes you hear statements that are so mind-numbingly stupid, evil, or mean that you know a direct frontal assault would only start a fight. People tend to double down when challenged, no matter how wrong they are. A more effective way to approach a dangerous social or business situation is sideways, by asking a question that starts with "I just wanted to clarify ..." That approach might look like this: "I just wanted to clarify: Are you saying you're okay with an 80 percent chance of going to jail, or did I hear your plan wrong?"