Children quickly learn the manipulative tricks that work on their parents.
They build a repertoire of tricks based on what works.
If you are conscious of how the public sees you, they put on a show.
If you do not like tears, they cry you a river.
If words move you, they recite poetry.
If the truth triggers you, they learn to lie.
Diminishing this tendency of manipulation as they grow depends first on their parents, and then their community. It is usually by design, not by chance. Design is not easy, the failure rate is high.
What you then have is a world full of manipulative people, looking for the trick that works on you. And as with children, people actively seek a weakness – an opening.
Denying or hiding your weakness only makes it easier to exploit. People behave poorly in the dark.
Admitting it makes exploitation look cruel. People behave better when in the light.
What is worse is that in the full expression of the manipulation gene, people do not stop at manipulating others. We also perfect manipulating ourselves.
Whenever I see a trending video of a child using a manipulative trick, I try to understand the weakness the child sees in their parents.
– Osasu Oviawe
