Manipulative friends

When it comes to social sabotage, the options are limitless: ridiculing someone behind her back, convincing everyone else in the group to stop speaking to a victim, whispering, and telling inside jokes, organizing or inviting someone to a social activity when you know she can't go, etc. Yes, they're all mind games and examples of nasty behavior—but also the status quo in the quest for popularity. However, social sabotaging usually comes down to at least one of three feelings: jealousy, rejection or vengefulness.

There's a word for these people--an oxymoron: "manipulative friends."
But, it's important to realize that they are no friends and shouldn't be mistaken as such.

An important thing to look for is that these people care about winning and damaging someone's reputation. And when they are caught in the act, they often deny it or put the blame on the victim. Whether they refute bad behavior ("I thought you didn't want to go") or they mask passive-aggression with niceties ("I didn't want to put you in an awkward situation"), excuses tend to be just that.

Usually, these "manipulative friends" also try to turn the table and make themselves look like the good guys ("I don't know why you hate us. I know it hurts and we always love you"). This is the part of the manipulation that tries to make the victim guilty about something that she didn't even do.

A manipulative person might refine their techniques and it would take even longer for all parties involved to identify this type of person, leading to a waste of time.

You want to be surrounded by people who bring out your positive traits and not those who try to manipulate or ruin your life. Those types of people don't easily change. And the best bet would be to get him/her out of your life.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• Advice
• Social
• Sabotage
• hatred
• feelings
• Manipulative
• friends
• Raiden
• bird
• Ryuzaki