What a 20th Century French Philosopher Can Teach You About Copy and Authority

We all want to believe that someone out there knows what the hell they're talking about when it comes to a given subject.

The question is...who?

A 20th century French philosopher and psychoanalyst thought he had the answer. His name was Jacques Lacan and he theorized that when we go to therapy (or buy anything that promises change or transformation), we assume the other person knows something we don't.

He called it: The Subject Supposed to Know

It works like this:

Whenever we seek help, from a therapist, a teacher, or an expert, we automatically project knowledge onto them. We assume they know the truth about us, even if they don't.

When a client trusts that you "know", they listen differently--their BS-detectors shut down, they relax their shoulders (physically and metaphorically), and they listen differently.

That last part is important for copywriters.

It's when your words stop sounding like persuasion and start sounding more like guidance.

The Psychology Behind "Trust Me, I've Got You."

You can shout your credentials from the rooftops all day long, or throw out statistics like you're scattering birdseed. But that's not what builds authority. You build authority by making people feel like you truly understand their problem at a level they don't have words for yet.

Great copywriting feels like discovery, not instruction. Think of it like this:

The amateur copywriter says "I can help you lose 10 pounds in 10 days."

The expert copywriter says: "If you've ever wondered why diets work for a week and then suddenly backfire, here's what's going on in your body."

One commands, the other reveals.

How to Build Your Own "Subject Supposed to Know" Energy

So how do you create this kind of energy in your own copywriting work?

Speak to the confusion they already feel

This is different than just "touching on the pain points", it's where you articulate what they can't yet say. You're the master of words, so sit with that feeling for a bit. Learn to name the problem with scary-good accuracy, because when you do, people stop scrolling and pay attention.

Write like you're explaining, not pitching

You ever notice how the copywriters who know what they're doing never have to try hard to convince you? They just break it down, simple and straightforward and you get to the lightbulb-moment part even faster.

That's the tone you want to aim for in your own copy. Instead of saying "You should..." try "Here's what works." Instead of saying "I believe..." say "What we know is..." Little micro-phrasing changes like that shift the dialogue. Instead of selling an idea, you're revealing a hidden truth.

You don't need to shout

When you know something works, you don't need a giant neon sign proclaiming it. Of all the things that project the most authority, calm is the most understated (because of course it is).

When you're able to project calm into your words, your reader feels that, and here again, they subconsciously relax. When you lay it all out for them, they're able to fill in the rest and go from concerned, agitated, frustrated and uncertain to calm, clear-headed, understood and helped.

The Quiet Power of Knowing

Deep down, everyone's looking for that someone who seems to know. Be the one who makes the noise stop.

You can become that person.

When your words are confident, calm and clear they surprisingly stop sounding like copy and start sounding like honesty, and honesty converts over hype every time.