How One Word Makes You Liable

What if one of the simplest words in our language hides a legal mechanism of control?

In this Explainer episode, we explore a striking and controversial theory: that the word “you” is more than just a pronoun. According to this perspective, its plural grammar conceals a legal fiction that binds living people to corporate “persons” and financial liabilities.

We break down how this idea unfolds, from the linguistic argument about you, to the creation of the “legal person,” to how courts and banks allegedly use language to link individuals to debts and judgments. The episode also examines the proposed “solution”: reclaiming authority by recognizing yourself as executor over the legal estate in your name.

Whether you find it fascinating or far-fetched, this theory invites us to question how deeply language and law intertwine — and how much power a single word might hold.

Presented by the Private Members Union (PMU).