Hey kids - back again.
I've noticed that interpersonal 'manipulation' or 'manipulative behaviour', seems to be commonly seen as one of the signs or symptoms of ASPD, NPD and other cluster B personalities.
I take issue with what I believe is the common notion of manipulation - behaviour that 'controls' another, or is intended to control another - (is my take on how mainstream western society perceives this an accurate one? please enlighten me if not)
If so, the whole idea just seems quite flawed to me.
We can behave in ways that we think will produce a desired behaviour in another, but this is not control(ling) - and besides, I would say this is an extremely common thing in social interactions.
In this pocket of thought do people not understand that individuals are responsible for their own actions?
Now granted, we can assume how an individual will respond in a given situation, and act on that, but regardless of what sensory information someone can be presented with, it is their own brain that makes whatever decision it makes - making the whole idea of manipulation redundant and nonsensical, with how commonly people engage in said behaviour - I would go so far as to say almost all social interaction comes with a faint idea, or some dull sense at least, of how person(s) might react - or is this just me?
Or perhaps, is it only 'manipulative behaviour' when combined with a lack of empathy? Or when combined with the assumption that the person making whatever action actually thinks they are controlling people?
I would appreciate your thoughts.