Manipulation | Realizing Empathy

In conversation,
a question worth asking
is whether we are attempting
to decrease
or increase
the number of choices
for others.

Depending on the answer,
we can often gauge
whether we are moving
in the direction of fear
or courage.

p.s: Thanks to Paul Pangaro for introducing me to the essay on Ethics and Second-Order Cybernetics that inspired this post.

Manipulation involves the desire
to move someone or something
to a place or state the manipulator envisions or expects.

This is not to judge manipulation as good/bad or right/wrong.
Through mutual agreement & rationalization,
one can differentiate between transparent vs. surreptitious,
well vs. ill-intended, manipulation.

A magic show
can be thought of as transparent manipulation.
Feeding kids hidden veges
can be thought of as well-intended manipulation.

In some sense,
the opposite of manipulation is creation.
Because creation involves the desire
to arrive
at a place or state the creator did not envision or expect.

Irony is when we judge others as lacking empathy

Posts tagged ‘Manipulation’