Sneaky Tricks – How Malicious People Hurt You!
Interpersonal coexistence is a conglomerate of psychological interactions. Most of it happens unconsciously and is not controlled by us. Some individuals, however, are very good at the art of manipulation. They are the string pullers among us, who like to make us dance like puppets on invisible strings and enjoy playing their games with us. It is clear that they are up to no good. If you have nothing to hide, you don't have to conceal your intentions and you don't have to use any psychological sleight of hand to be successful. Honest intentions, unfortunately, are not the standard program in the interpersonal sphere. In this article, we're going to introduce you to 5 sinister types of manipulation that people use when they want to control and abuse you for their own purposes.
1. Others are always to blame
One of the main reasons why malicious people can sleep soundly at night, even though drama and destruction line their path, is that they successfully repress any feelings of guilt. Narcissists' worldview consists of a single perspective, theirs. At most, if at all, they are the victims, but never the perpetrators. When things go wrong, they are masters at twisting the facts until a culprit is found. In doing so, they don’t shy away from highly obscure and implausible attempts at explanation. But authenticity plays absolutely no role in their universe. Before they even get close to the idea that they might be the cause of the current issue, they conjure up a fantastic construct of untruths that would make even the legendary liar Baron Munchausen green with envy. This fairy tale can be as devoid of logic as it is of facts, as long as it serves their own justification.
2. They don't consider their victims as human beings
The most dangerous and at the same time most successful fact in dealing with toxic people is their ability to dehumanize their victims. This process of depersonalization is the basic prerequisite for sadistic and cruel behavior, since in the eye of the abuser, no people are being harmed, but only objects that feel neither pain nor fear nor shame. With such abstracted characters it's then easy to do bad things to them and play malicious games with them. This is also the reason why narcissists never have a real chance of recovery, even in therapy. They are simply not able to recognize the seriousness and the extent of their deeds. They see the mistreatment of others as their right.
3. They twist facts in their favor
You need a lot of imagination and a creative vocabulary if you want to go through the world as a real villain. Step number 1 is always the charming ensnarement of potential victims with beautiful flattery and unctuous words. Only in the course of the common relationship, no matter what kind, the victims notice more and more often that there are 2 realities. Sometimes it does not even remain with these two, because toxic people regard the truth more like an imaginary self-service store, from which they can help themselves to their heart's content. Narcissists and other toxic people direct reality in exactly the direction that suits them. People around them begin to think that their perception is failing, and they may even begin to lose their sense of reason. Common experiences, for example, are completely misrepresented. Objects disappear in the house and suddenly reappear in other places. This tactic is called gaslighting and aims to plunge victims deeper and deeper into self-doubt. In the end, they no longer have confidence in their judgment and consider themselves no longer sane. As a result, the string-puller of this manipulation soon becomes the only person of reference, who now has full right of access to the body, mind and soul of their victim. Through clever planning, there are no longer any other people to whom the victims can turn. They have been effectively isolated from family and friends and are now supposedly without any help at all.
4. Responsibility? No, thank you
Malicious people can indulge in their dark deeds to their heart's content, since they know neither conscience nor compassion. As a result, they lack any sense of responsibility and do not have to think for a second about the possible consequences of their actions. They actually live a life without any limit, as they consider themselves invincible and also know that the legal system is on their side. Those who are allowed to act without having to fear any negative consequences on their lives are literally capable of anything. At this point, if not before, evil is unleashed and can do its diabolical work unhindered. The bad thing about it is that, even if these people are caught red-handed and fined or imprisoned, they still don't realize who the real problem is in this overall picture. They themselves reject the state and the legislation as authorities and are therefore afraid of nothing and no one.
5. They always believe they have the moral high ground
Narcissists and other toxic characters hold a deep conviction: no one can hold a candle to them. No one is smarter or better than they are. They accept neither rules and regulations nor social hierarchies or moral principles. The only morality they know is their own view of it. They always believe they are in the right, no matter what they do or what crimes they commit. They regard all those around them with contempt and as basically unworthy of sitting at the same table with them. Other people serve only as their fickle entertainment or as a means of advancement in society, if moving up the social ladder serves their purposes. The combination of all these factors makes malicious people a real danger to those around them. Fantasies of omnipotence and sadism are often the only driving forces they know. Meeting these needs is their only purpose in life.
Today's conclusion: Enjoy new acquaintances, but with caution
Malicious or toxic people truly are poison for us and our peace of mind. They usually come into our lives quite charmingly and charismatically, flattering us and very quickly finding our weak points to target. They bind their victims more and more with skillful maneuvers, isolate them from their families and friends, and then have full access to their psyche. Freeing oneself from the clutches of such dark individuals is difficult and a long journey. Of course, it would be best to recognize the early warning signs in time. People who keep quiet about their past, have no friends or family to show for it, and don't want to reveal anything about themselves should be treated with caution. Bad behavior toward the less privileged in our society also indicates a sense of superiority. Those who dislike animals, or perhaps even treat and torture them badly, are not philanthropists either. Above all, however, our intuition will warn us of such sinister individuals. Our gut feeling usually recognizes evil long before our mind does.