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Gaslighting is behavioural lapse; must be countered
The Pioneer ^ | Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Sakshi Sethi

Posted on 12/24/2022 3:25:24 AM PST by Jyotishi

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To: Freedom4US

I grew up with a narcissist, and for narcissists of any age, gaslighting is as natural as swimming is to fish. When I could, I headed for the hills, just left it, you can’t resolve it if the person in question remains untreated. If you are dealing with the originator of the gaslighting, it is intentional and malicious. If otoh, you are dealing with some poor schmuck caught in the eddies of a gaslighting campaign, it may not be, because they may believe the false reality, or maybe they feel they can benefit from it at the expense of a targeted victim (not realizing the diminished power of picking fights with fellow victims instead of making common cause with them), or maybe they are too afraid of getting in trouble or being made an example of to speak up and challenge the false reality, or else you have some form of Stockholm syndrome going on.

On the small scale you can flee and hope there isn’t a whole sewer of lies coming after you. On the large scale you can disagree all you like but until a tipping point occurs (and probably a good deal afterward) you can just try to provide a stabilizing reference point I think.

What is so important about Musk breaking up the lefty party is that utilizing social media, and Twitter in particular, bad people figured out how to scale up gaslighting campaigns, combining the nastiness of the small scale with large scale disinformation. The bad news is that the lefties aren’t the only ones doing it. You have a whole world full of university labs and unfriendly states that are able to mess with Americans in America without having to actually hop on a plane.


21 posted on 12/24/2022 5:40:58 AM PST by BlackAdderess (Representatives are supposed to represent their constituents, that is their job. )
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To: Jyotishi

“Remember gaslighting works because it confuses people and shakes the confidence. But if the victim shows that he is not affected by the behaviour, the person trying to gaslight will decide that it isn’t worth it.”

I don’t think this is true. A big part of gaslighting is gaining power over people and part of that is destroying other people’s reputations so that nobody will listen to them, particularly someone who has figured out that the gaslighter is full of crap.


22 posted on 12/24/2022 5:54:20 AM PST by BlackAdderess (Representatives are supposed to represent their constituents, that is their job. )
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To: Jyotishi
IMHO, everyone needs to be aware of gaslighting tactics esp by self righteous (nutty) husbands.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/here-there-and-everywhere/201701/11-red-flags-of-gaslighting-in-a-relationship

Also psychological profiles of internet trolls:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-online-secrets/201409/internet-trolls-are-narcissists-psychopaths-and-sadists
23 posted on 12/24/2022 5:59:34 AM PST by know.your.why (If you dont watch the MSM you are uninformed. If you do watch the MSM you are misinformed.)
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To: Jyotishi; Drew68

The TDSers on Free Republic try to gaslight us with fake polls and convince us Trump is “finished”. F them all. These same weasel d1cks then try to tell us Desantis is not a GOPe trojan horse.


24 posted on 12/24/2022 6:06:40 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: Freedom4US
Gaslighting is the ultimate insult. It assumes the victim is so stupid they can be led to believe obvious untruths and lies contrary to what they are actually seeing.


25 posted on 12/24/2022 6:11:04 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: MayflowerMadam

“I’m sure it happens in reverse, i.e., for women manipulating men, too”

Does.It.Ever.😬


26 posted on 12/24/2022 6:12:01 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: central_va

It actually assumes the victim is good natured and not himself/herself a cold-hearted gaslighter/abuser.


27 posted on 12/24/2022 6:14:33 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: one guy in new jersey

It assumes the victim is stupid.


28 posted on 12/24/2022 6:16:51 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: sit-rep

I completely understand...
same thing with me...
Children are adults now, and I manage to keep contact, but if I don’t do it, there would never be any...
May my ex burn in hell


29 posted on 12/24/2022 6:19:02 AM PST by joe fonebone (And the people said NO! The End)
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To: know.your.why

Here’s an author whose book can help victims of gaslighting:

Patricia Evans, life coach, author of “The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to recognize it and how to respond” (2010 third edition)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1440504636/ref=dp_ob_neva_mobile


30 posted on 12/24/2022 6:22:45 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: central_va

Are victims of gaslighting stupid, CV?


31 posted on 12/24/2022 6:23:35 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: MayflowerMadam

“One of the best things conservative parents can do is develop strong BS meters in their kids.“

So true!

We tried to teach our children (now adults) that trust must be earned. So-called facts must be verified. Humans are in a survival competition like all animals, and part of human nature is to take advantage - to deceive.

Even kind and generous people might withhold a secret ingredient when sharing their prize winning chili recipe. Fishermen don’t give up their special spot -entrepreneurs and craftsmen don’t give up their trade secrets. There is a lot of BS out there. They need a good BS meter.

But ironically, the very BS meter we instilled in our children is now working against us - that’s how clever the enemy is.

My children can’t believe the 2220 election was stolen or that Covid was a hoax, because it seems impossible to them that EVERYONE could be lying about something so huge.

So, thanks to the strong BS meters we gave our children, they don’t want to hear about vast deep state conspiracies - even though they are real. The idea that there’s a corrupt deep state orchestrating a coup against MAGA - it all sounds too far-fetched.

What a screwed up world we live in.


32 posted on 12/24/2022 6:24:41 AM PST by enumerated ( )
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To: one guy in new jersey

Yes, if you can be convinced with propaganda that what you are seeing is not what you are seeing then you are stupid. Either stupid or weak. Or both.


33 posted on 12/24/2022 6:25:20 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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To: sit-rep

Gaslighting is easy to combat.

Imagine the opposite of whatever the person says.

If it is closer to the truth you are dealing with a gaslighter.

If they do it more than once they are a sociopath.

There is only one proper response to a sociopath—run far far away..no excuses...no drama...no explanations...just run.


34 posted on 12/24/2022 6:25:45 AM PST by cgbg (Claiming that laws and regs that limit “hate speech” stop freedom of speech is “hate speech”.)
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To: Freedom4US
Then it probably ain’t gaslighting.

Case in point:

You've been gaslighted.

(or forgot your sarc tag)

35 posted on 12/24/2022 6:26:27 AM PST by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
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To: rarestia

It does help, that’s true, but there’s a significant amount of crying wolf going on across the political spectrum. It’s tough to know who or what to believe anymore.

Social media reach
+ FBI manipulation of social media to help DNC
+ insatiable need for clicks by media
= recipe for disaster in what passes as “news”.


36 posted on 12/24/2022 6:29:19 AM PST by Flick Lives (Cui bono)
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To: joe fonebone
but if I don’t do it, there would never be any

cant tell you how many times ive uttered the same!! just start checking off those bucket list destinations. Not too sure I wanna leave my bank accounts to those who dont give me the time a day. let em cuss me out for not leaving them anything!! lol

37 posted on 12/24/2022 6:30:34 AM PST by sit-rep ( )
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To: freebilly

There was a British feature film version, then, later, a U.S. feature film version. Can’t recall everyone who was involved in those two different productions.


38 posted on 12/24/2022 6:30:48 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: central_va

Ever been gaslit?


39 posted on 12/24/2022 6:32:50 AM PST by one guy in new jersey
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To: one guy in new jersey

Of course and I never bought into it BECAUSE I AM NOT STUPID OR WEAK.


40 posted on 12/24/2022 6:34:15 AM PST by central_va (I won't be reconstructed and I do not give a damn...)
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