[Pseudoscience-is-malarkey (OP)]

When your boss, wife or girlfriend says "we need to talk", is there ever anything positive for yourself to come of it? It seems like whenever a "talk" is requested, it's because the requestee is doing something the requester is unhappy with.

[alancalverd]

It's an unusual use of the first person plural. When a politician says "we" he means "you", because as every Tory knows, politicians are above the law. But when a female significant other says "we need to talk" she means "I need to talk and you need to grovel."

Still, it's a useful cinematic cliche, along with "he has a right to know", "I must take this call", and "we mustn't involve the police", without which the plot would resemble the emperor's new clothes after a moth attack.

[Pseudoscience-is-malarkey (OP)]

It's an unusual use of the first person plural. When a politician says "we" he means "you", because as every Tory knows, politicians are above the law. But when a female significant other says "we need to talk" she means "I need to talk and you need to grovel."

Still, it's a useful cinematic cliche, along with "he has a right to know", "I must take this call", and "we mustn't involve the police", without which the plot would resemble the emperor's new clothes after a moth attack.

Alancalv, when your wife says those four words, what goes through your mind?

[alancalverd]

Nothing.  I have a powerful spam filter.