What exactly is gaslighting?
The term comes from an old movie. It was about a man who was trying to drive a woman insane by telling her things that were exactly opposite of reality.
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation in which a person or a group covertly sows seeds of doubt in a targeted individual or group, making them question their own memory, perception, or judgment, often evoking in them cognitive dissonance and other changes, including low self-esteem. Using denial, misdirection, contradiction, and misinformation, gaslighting involves attempts to destabilize the victim and delegitimize the victim’s beliefs. Instances can range from the denial by an abuser that previous abusive incidents occurred, to belittling the victim’s emotions and feelings, to the staging of bizarre events by the abuser with the intention of disorienting the victim.
The term originated from the British play Gas Light (1938), performed as Angel Street in the United States, and its 1940 and 1944 film adaptations (both titled Gaslight). The term has now been used in clinical psychological literature,[1][2] as well as in political commentary and philosophy.[3]
‘Gaslighting’ derives from a 1938 British play, and movie adaptations, “Gas Light”. The villain/husband manipulates the victim/wife with small psychological terror tactics, designed to make her doubt her memory, feel like she is going mad etc. A Kafka-esque operation where the victim feels crushed. Similar to another term, FUD (Fear, Uncertainty & Doubt).
Gas lighting comes from a the movie where the husband tries to convince his wife that she’s crazy for being suspicious of him. Gas lighting is trying to make someone feel crazy for believing as they do.
Everybody else has mentioned the movie and the plot, but the actual term ‘Gas Lighting’ was because the husband would leave the room and then manipulate the gas lights (in the days prior to electric) to dim. They would return to normal before he returned, and when she mentions it, he denies it happens and leads her into believing she’s hallucinating.
I could be wrong, so please grade on the curve.
Gaslighting is repeatedly telling someone their eyes are lying to them.