Pseudosecret

For a real secret he substitutes a pseudosecret, though in doing so he cannot help telling the attentive reader that there is a secret there.

Thus, pseudosecrets can also become a way of maintaining generational and sexual boundaries in the family.

Diplomats succeed by appealing to the better side of human nature, to shared interests and values, and to shared culture and humanity, and shared pseudosecrets are an excellent way to break the ice.