this post was submitted on 27 Feb 2026
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[โ€“] bennypr0fane@discuss.tchncs.de 9 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Is this just manipulation?

[โ€“] MJKee9@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

A majority of human interaction is some form of manipulation. I think the question should be what degree the manipulation serves the manipulator versus the mark. For example, my wife compliments me for not looking like a total piece of shit. This both helps diminish tendencies in me she dislikes (helping her) and encourages me to not be a piece of shit, which given that my wife generally looks out for my best interests, helps me as well. From the opposite perspective, gaslighting is a form of manipulation that only benefits the manipulator... Hence why it's frowned upon.