Manipulation: Unraveling the 7 Insidious Tactics that Divert People from their True Mission
Have you been sidetracked? Have you ever set out to accomplish something and then either got delayed, changed your mind, got lost in the process, or flat-out just stopped moving forward toward your mission?
Yes, and while these seemingly innocent thought processes are normal and happen commonly, I want you to take a moment and think about the art of manipulation. Think you are exempt from manipulation?
Or perhaps you passed the test a while ago and think you can’t be possibly manipulated. Are you too mentally strong to be manipulated?
Think you can see manipulation from a football field away. I challenge you to read on if you dare.
Table of Contents
Distractions are at the Core
In today’s interconnected world, where information bombards us from all directions, it is becoming increasingly clear that people are susceptible to manipulation. But not you, right?
Whether it’s in the realm of politics, marketing, or personal relationships, individuals can find themselves unintentionally swayed from their intended paths. In this article, we will explore the reasons why people are easily manipulated, identify those who are particularly vulnerable, and delve into the methods and tactics employed to divert them from their true missions.
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Who and WHY are the Chosen Vulnerable Population for Easy Manipulation
While anyone can fall to manipulation (some without knowing), there are certain people who may fall to manipulation more than others.
1. Lack of Critical Thinking Skills and Independent Thought
Individuals who have not developed robust critical thinking skills are more susceptible to manipulation. Without the ability to evaluate information objectively and discern the intent behind persuasive techniques, they can be easily swayed.
2. Low Self-Esteem
People with low self-esteem may be more inclined to seek validation and acceptance from others. Manipulators exploit this vulnerability by offering false reassurances, and promises of success, or by capitalizing on insecurities, leading these individuals astray.
3. Too Much Information
In this day and age, we have access to an enormous amount of information. We can retrieve information on almost any subject within seconds. And while this is generally good, a manipulator will through an overload of information toward you, information that you cannot easily sort through and use your skills of independent thought and intuition to digest.
When there is too much information coupled with a lack of available time to sift through the information, this opens someone up to being manipulated.
Manipulators exploit this by bombarding people with false or misleading information, making it challenging for them to distinguish truth from manipulation.
The Subtle Insidious Tactics
1. Emotional Manipulation
Emotions play a powerful role in decision-making. Manipulators often leverage emotions such as fear, anger, or desire to influence people’s behavior. By triggering emotional responses, they divert attention away from critical thinking and rationality, pushing individuals towards actions they wouldn’t otherwise choose.
2. The Social Status Quo - Societal Norms
We have an innate desire to belong and conform to social norms. Manipulators exploit this by creating narratives that align with prevailing societal beliefs or by leveraging social pressure. This conformity bias leads individuals to comply with the manipulated narrative, even if it contradicts their initial goals.
3. Creating Distraction
Manipulators will purposely divert your attention and energy away from something they don’t want you to see, take part in, digest, or think independently about.
They will introduce anything, maybe it’s something attractive, maybe it’s something outlandish, or scary, they may introduce fear, FOMO, or anything that causes a diversion to distract. Yes, it’s deliberate.
4. Disinformation
It’s certainly hard to know what is disinformation, at times. Let’s keep it real. Sometimes it’s hard to know what the real truth is.
Disinformation and flat-out propaganda have been used historically to move the population or a people group away from a topic, and toward another fostering the outcome they wish to achieve.
Many times the people group targeted has no idea they are being manipulated.
5. Social Pressure for Conformity
Have you ever wondered by peer pressure started so young? When did it start for you? Middle school? Elementary school? Do you think there was a reason why it started out so young? Do you think you were being groomed into not just believing something, but actually thinking what “they” wanted you to believe?
This topic goes deep my friends. Deep for instance, into silencing opposing views, having celebrities take a stand on a political issue to sway the public, and again, calling those who are against the flow, calling them crazy, or filling in the word you have heard if you catch where we are going…
Manipulators will use social pressure to alter your behavior to do and think what they want you to think.
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6. Psychological Manipulation
Manipulators employ psychological tactics such as gaslighting, manipulation of insecurities, or creating a dependency relationship.
By distorting reality, undermining confidence, or fostering a sense of dependence, they exert control over individuals and manipulate them to act against their own interests.
Manipulation is not always easy to detect, starting with who is the audience that is easily manipulated to knowing it is alive and well will help us to gain awareness of this subtle and insidious tactic of manipulation. But, it’s important to note, everyone is susceptible to manipulation – the biggest threat, if you will, is feeling as if you will not be impacted or targeted by it.
Share your thoughts below.