Sober as a Judge? – Handwriting reveals the truth – and Michael Jackson speaks to us from the grave
There is nothing inherently bad in drinking a glass of wine, but when one glass turns into 5, or 6 or 12 even 20 on a daily basis, the normal use of an acceptable substance becomes twisted into something harmful. Some addictions are more obvious than others. A really drunk driver is usually easier to identify than say, a compulsive shopper! Ironically, even pleasure itself can become addictive.
Ever heard of somebody being as sober as a Judge? Well sadly, one of our previously respected local Judges seemed to want to go out of his way to allowing the facts to point to a contrary conclusion. He had crashed his car into the wall of a house, and was accused of drinking and driving. The Judge had been asked to write down certain of personal details at the scene. Ever on the lookout for interesting handwriting I was overjoyed when reporting his case, the local newspaper magnanimously supplied this particular sample on their front page.
To the trained eye, it was self-evident that he was somewhat, politely put, “under the influence.”
The Seagrams Whisky Advert
It was almost a clone of a well publicized advertisement that Seagrams Whisky put out some years ago, showing how writing deteriorated in stages from good to totally illegible as each tot was consumed. His compared pretty well with 9 tots. But in the court case where he was now the accused, he insisted that he had shared only one bottle of wine with a friend on the night in question. The case has gone on for 2 years now, and many millions has been spent on the defence of his case. A great deal was spent on blood samples, photos and sound bytes at the time. But my ONE view of his scrawl spoke volumes about his level of lack of sobriety, and answered the question as to whether there was any remaining doubt. Guilty as charged.
Is Hand-writing indeed Brain-writing?
Handwriting can tell a great deal about people. Handwriting is indeed brain….writing. There can be no doubt that the human brain sends messages to the hands, and the messages can often include physiological or health issues, of that there is little doubt based on research. Prof Peter Beumont (now deceased, but was a colleague of mine years ago) and an expert on eating disorders, showed a very strong correlation between small handwriting and both bulimia (binge-eating syndrome) and anorexia (prolonged disorder of eating due to loss of appetite).
What about early indications of health problems?
Using a magnifying glass, a headache, sore throat or even a toothache can show up as a minute dot in certain samples. Diseases such as Parkinson’s (degenerative disorder of the central nervous system characterized by tremor and impaired muscular coordination) can be seen as a tremor throughout the entire writing. Heart disease can seen both as unnecessary dots and uneven top loops in certain letters.
A highly strung, tense, nervous person tends to write illegibly. Moreover, the occurrence of mood swings, ranging from the low of depression, through elation, right up to paranoia (a psychological disorder characterized by delusions of persecution or grandeur) can easily be recognized.
Easily observed POTENTIAL danger Signs in Handwriting
Simple indications of potential violence
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This can occur as muddy, smeary writing, and indicates a high level sensual expression – which can otherwise be described as a person consumed with lustful passion, often exhibited in an inappropriate manner. On the other hand, excessively heavy pressure, particularly when it looks as though the pen could tear through the paper, can indicate an individual who vents itself in an explosive manner. This type of person cannot seem to control their feelings and will usually express them is a hostile manner.
Simple indications of potential dishonesty
Breaks at the bottom of letters, especially the vowels “a” and “o” is one of the strongest signs of deception in Handwriting. This can indicate that the writer has very little regard for the truth and may be a compulsive liar. This indicator is frequently found in the handwriting of a sociopath (a person with an antisocial personality disorder).
What is called “patching” or “soldering” occurs when the writer makes a mistake and “goes back” to recover, retrace, or even mend the intended formation on TOP of the incorrect one. Soldering is an indication of a particularly dishonest person, because the writer effectively tries to reconnect a broken stroke so that it supposedly will not be seen by the reader. This type of writer somehow feels that he/she must cover his/her tracks to avoid being caught.
Signs of Potentially self-destructive Behaviour
Lines of writing that droop or fall can either be a minor indication of a person with a low level of energy, or just gloomy feelings. However, if the lines droop significantly, accompanied with very weak pressure, may reveal progressive, even pernicious (working or spreading in a hidden and usually injurious way) depression. This person may feel downtrodden and unable to lift themselves up.
What was Michael Jackson telling us in his handwriting?
There is no doubt, looking at his handwriting and specifically his various signatures, that they are reflective of extreme changes over the years. His signature during his 2004 child molestation trial filled the entire page, clearly revealing his bigger than life self-image, and suggest an inability to deal with everyday issues.
Conclusion – and the band plays on – we NEVER stop learning!
Whilst I have tried to highlight various aberrations in handwriting, I only do this to show how interesting the study of this fascinating subject can be, when all its factors, include a very good understanding of psychology and therefore of people. However, it should NOT be “written off” for the positive impact that it can have, and indeed DOES have in reaching a DEEP understanding of our fellow travelers on this oft strange, challenging, but NEVER boring globule hurtling along in never-ending space – to who knows where. But THAT is what makes it so exciting!
