The phrase 'it turns out' has become a favorite tool for writers, particularly after exposure to Paul Graham's essays. This seemingly innocuous phrase serves a powerful rhetorical function, creating an illusion of objective discovery while often masking unsupported claims. Graham's strategic use of the phrase demonstrates how writers can leverage linguistic patterns to bypass critical thinking.

At first glance, the phrase appears to simply convey surprise or unexpected findings, much like announcing that a deli lacks roast beef or revealing a movie plot twist. However, when deployed in argumentative writing, 'it turns out' performs more sophisticated work. It creates a false sense of empirical discovery, making readers more receptive to claims that lack substantive evidence or logical progression.

The phrase essentially functions as a writerly shortcut, allowing authors to skip the hard work of building arguments while maintaining credibility. By couching assertions in the language of discovery, writers can transform subjective opinions into seemingly objective findings. This rhetorical device exploits readers' trust in scientific and investigative language, making it a powerful but potentially manipulative tool in persuasive writing.