Manipulation can take many forms.  The psychopath is nearly perfect in her mastery of these manipulative manifestations.  Blackmail, emotional harm, bait and switch, and other tactics are all available and used by us.  The psychopath knows how to identify one’s hopes and desires and to use that information in order to manipulate another to achieve some goal in mind.  We are skilled puppeteers and can get nearly anyone to bow to our will, usually without any threat involved.

Before I go into manipulative tactics, I want to stress a very important point for this current post arc.  Nearly anyone will register in some fashion or another with some of these traits.  A master manipulator alone is not a psychopath.  Neither is one who lacks empathy.  It is the confluence of the majority of these traits that composes psychopathy – a syndrome.  Yes, many of my readers are psychopathic.  However, I urge all to remain objective when assessing themselves or others for possible psychopathy.

The similarities are endless between a good liar and a good manipulator.  Whereas the former is concerned with the placement of falsity, the latter can use both truth and fiction for maximum effect.  Knowing the desires, wants, and needs of an individual goes far to ensuring that they remain putty in our hands.  Do you wish to become closer to an individual?  Become their confidant through the careful use and abuse of their fears.  Show concern for them only to place them in a state where they can be manipulated most easily.  Do you wish to turn one against others?  Spin enough truth with a hint of lies about those that your target is close to.  Make them feel special, show charm that will sweep them off their feet – even if you could care less.  Exert your self-grandiosity to gain followers like moths drawn to flame.

At all times the psychopath keeps in mind the motivations of their target.  By knowing why a target functions the way they do, covert or overt manipulation can be used to gain an ally that has no clue that they are not nearly within the psychopath’s good graces as they think they are.  The psychopath knows how to use any tool, much like a master carpenter, and can quickly evaluate those tools – read: people – around them for maximum benefit.  And, if done correctly, she will have full control over the marionette’s strings with no complaints for those suspended in air.

The psychopath manipulates for many reasons.  Maybe they are bored or maybe they simply wish to have pawns in the waiting.  Whatever the cause, many of the psychopath’s traits come together in order to ensure that anyone can be used for personal gain.  It’s not personal, it’s merely one sharpening their knives and tools for future use and practicing their puppet mastery for performances that have yet to happen.