Social and Psychological Manipulation - Dean Amory
Unlike people who are trying to influence, persuade or convince others, manipulators work with unfair means to get what they want. They do not respect the personal rights of their victims. They violate the victim's integrity, work with hidden agendas and deliberately use dishonest tricks like faulty reasoning, coercion, blackmail and lying in an attempt to control the victim's actions. Manipulation is about suiting the manipulator's advantage or purpose only, often at the expense of the victim. Yet, it is often difficult to know when you are being manipulated: manipulators do all they can to convince you that you are the one who is to benefit most from their actions and that they are acting in good faith. If we were aware that we are being manipulated, would we allow ourselves to fall victim to it - and how would we defend ourselves against it? That is where this book comes in handy: it explains the tricks manipulators use and teaches you how to best defend and
Unlike people who are trying to influence, persuade or convince others, manipulators work with unfair means to get what they want. They do not respect the personal rights of their victims. They violate the victim's integrity, work with hidden agendas and deliberately use dishonest tricks like faulty reasoning, coercion, blackmail and lying in an attempt to control the victim's actions. Manipulation is about suiting the manipulator's advantage or purpose only, often at the expense of the victim.
Yet, it is often difficult to know when you are being manipulated: manipulators do all they can to convince you that you are the one who is to benefit most from their actions and that they are acting in good faith.
If we were aware that we are being manipulated, would we allow ourselves to fall victim to it - and how would we defend ourselves against it?
That is where this book comes in handy: it explains the tricks manipulators use and teaches you how to best defend and
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2.5 Which vulnerabilities are exploited by manipulators?<br />
“When you get enough inner peace <strong>and</strong> feel really positive about yourself, it is almost impossible for<br />
you to be controlled or manipulated by anyone else.”<br />
Wayne Dwyer<br />
According to Beth E Peterson<br />
Source: http://www.wingedblue.com/manip2.html<br />
Characteristics within ourselves which make us vulnerable to manipulation fall within six main areas:<br />
Our Physical Being<br />
Will <strong>and</strong> Expressions<br />
Imagination<br />
Memory<br />
Thought<br />
Emotion<br />
Have you ever been tired enough that when the kids hound you for pizza, you give in? That is an<br />
example of the traits of your physical body being used by others to manipulate you....<br />
Have you ever known how another person was feeling simply through their body language or tone of<br />
voice? This is something we all do as a matter of course; we recognize (even if only on a subconscious<br />
level) that people communicate in a huge number of ways. These expressions of self are signals we are<br />
constantly sending out can be used by a manipulator....<br />
Have you ever found yourself believing another person, just because what they told you was something<br />
you were really hoping for? And oh-oh! How many times do we make excuses? Loads! But sometimes<br />
when we excuse something or rationalize something, whether about ourselves or another person, we<br />
are not noticing <strong>and</strong> stopping a manipulative ploy or attack. These are examples of imagination as an<br />
opening for manipulation....<br />
Have you ever walked into a situation where you felt like a little kid again...<strong>and</strong> not in a good way? If<br />
this has happened to you...<strong>and</strong> it does happen to almost all of us...then someone has accessed your<br />
template of child-status. Or in other words, you were just dropped into those same feelings <strong>and</strong> even<br />
attitudes that you had as a child. Believe it or not, this is a weapon a lot of manipulators aim for. And<br />
here's a biggie! Our ability to learn is one of the easiest toeholds to access. Our memories are also<br />
vulnerable because they are fluid; they change over time as our own perceptions <strong>and</strong> interpretations<br />
change....<br />
How many times have you been influenced by another person's thoughts? The number will be too<br />
many to count. From thoughts about the way the country is run to which is the best way to fry an egg,<br />
we listen to <strong>and</strong> are influenced by other people's thoughts <strong>and</strong> concepts. This is generally a good thing,<br />
but when we aren't careful, a manipulator will use this everyday process to steer you wherever they<br />
want you. Remember ever having been pressured by your peer group into doing something you weren't<br />
sure about? That is an example of the idea that contact equals influence. A manipulator uses it even<br />
more subtly....<br />
Have you ever noticed that our emotional state seems tied to everything else? For example, when<br />
you're fatigued for a long time, it can be easy to slip into sadness. Or have you ever listened to music<br />
that just got you bouncing? Or a speaker that really roused you? These are forms of emotional<br />
ecstacies. They <strong>and</strong> the positive emotions can also be used to lead you down the garden path<br />
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