Manipulators

The world is full of manipulators. We all know at least one, although I think that the figure of "one" is much too low. Unfortunately, manipulators are not easy to recognise. They do not have a sign around their necks stating their intent or (unfortunately) saying "unclean." But if you look carefully you can spot the signs or signals that these "people" exhibit.

It is not easy.

Manipulators always put their "best" face forward. In other words they all "appear" to be sweetness and light on the outside. It is only on further dealings with them that they reveal their "true" nature. If you are lucky, you will catch  on to what they are doing quickly. If you are like most folks, you will not. What true manipulators do best is act one way when dealing with you, but, do the opposite when talking about you or setting you up to take a fall.

For example, I know one such manipulator who likes to present a "picture" of all sweetness and innocence. Butter would not melt in their mouth. This same person also uses words in their vocabulary that would make a twenty-year sailor blush...a lot. This person is very skilled at using smoke and mirrors at deflecting anything that might be misconstrued as "unflattering" by batting their eyelashes and swearing that they could not possibly not be a nice person.

 I would like to say that this "two-faced" so-and-so got their comeuppance. Unfortunately that still remains to be seen. Maybe one day they will be found out, but not any time soon, I am thinking. For manipulators are very good at what they do. Manipulate.

They skilfully play one side against the other.

Telling one person one thing, then, completely contradicting themselves to someone else. These manipulators will even do so in print. Easily confident they they will not be caught out they play this game with an adroitness that is almost scary. And more often than not they succeed.

Why? Because all of us who are not manipulators do not want to believe that our fellow man is capable of such chicanery. We all tend to believe the best of the people we meet and greet each day. Until we have been shown the error of our ways, we continue to do so.

If we are lucky enough we can discover who the manipulators are in our lives and sever ties with them.  For that is the only way to deal with this type of person. The answer is to cut off relations of any type. You cannot trust someone who has no qualms at attempting to do you harm to get ahead. If you are fortunate enough to discover who is manipulating you act immediately.

Start cutting.