What are some behaviors that are often praised but are actually just manipulative tactics?

Love bombing absolutely. It is the absolute #1 red flag that everyone should be careful of.

Edited March 10, 20251 yr by Imagine Dragon

2 minutes ago, Imagine Dragon said:

Love bombing absolutely. It is the absolute #1 red flag that everyone should be careful of.

i want to add that this also happens in professional environments and can be 10x more manipulative

 

be VERY wary of managers/directors who overly compliment you and your work

 

its because they're ******* you over in some other regard (or know they eventually will) and they want you to feel awkward and unable to stand up for yourself to seniors who show you so much 'love'

7 minutes ago, Imagine Dragon said:

Love bombing absolutely. It is the absolute #1 red flag that everyone should be careful of.

why do you think people do this in relationship/friendship environments?

people pleaser/overly helpful

6 minutes ago, Strawberry Bubble said:

why do you think people do this in relationship/friendship environments?

It is the most successful tactic to get under the skin of friends or lovers with lower self-esteem, and probably the first step of narcissistic abuse.

 

Narcissists do it to get your trust/attention. After they know they got you 'in a trap', they will start step by step to show their real face, but just in enough small doses, so they can control and gaslight you, and you start doubting yourself and try to find excuses for their behavior (e.g. They are really good, look how I started the relation with them, this is just a phase). 

 

And the worst thing is, after they bring you down, they will be at their best right after again, justifying your excuses for them. And then in goes in cycles. Your confidence only goes lower, but unfortunately, you probably don't even realize the hole you are sinking into.

 

Most of the times, the victims of narcissistic abuse can observe what they fell into after quite some time.

Plenty of things, but I lowkey think we're entering an era where over-pathologizing mundane behavior and trying to slap clinical diagnosis on people who annoy us is a bigger problem. 

Men opening doors for women

Gay men putting verse in their dating bio

Handing a cash tip in person to the hot delivery driver instead of sending it through the app like a normal person

Edited March 11, 20251 yr by Fleahive

On atrl? People saying good things about artists and fanbases even when it goes against their personal views and taste to get upvotes.  We all can see it. 

10 minutes ago, DevilsRollTheDice said:

Plenty of things, but I lowkey think we're entering an era where over-pathologizing mundane behavior and trying to slap clinical diagnosis on people who annoy us is a bigger problem. 

This can't be said enough! That week or so 'weaponized incompetence' & 'learned helplessness' were hot topics on social media drove me nuts. Some people are incompetent and helpless, not everything is a plot or conspiracy. Beyond how hurtful it is to the person being judged, it's bad for our own psyches to navigate the world through a lens of always trying to identify other people's faults or spot potential danger. Trains your mind to only focus on the bad stuff

Paying for a whole meal rather than just splitting the bill. Can't believe some people have let that heteronormative nonsense permeate gay dating

Surprised ppl didn't bring up gaslighting but it is the most irritating thing ever!!!

When you start a job and ask a work colleague how something is done and they takeover entirely knowing that everything is on cam.

2 minutes ago, king_queen said:

Surprised ppl didn't bring up gaslighting but it is the most irritating thing ever!!!

Gaslighting isn't even real 

6 minutes ago, Ubermensch said:

Gaslighting isn't even real 

Haha

Buying you expensive things even though you just met them 

Unless you're a total recluse and have not integrated into society almost everything we as humans do to mold ourselves to fit in different environments both personally and professionally can be deemed "manipulative"

 

It really just comes down to what someone's intentions are because manipulation itself isn't inherently bad.

 

I guess the most annoying for me personally is when people go "I'm sorry you feel that way" instead of just saying sorry. Or people that are constantly "victims" of something, always in drama (that they most likely start). Or when family members pull try to make you feel guilty for having your own life separate from them.

When they smile and ask how you are.

5 minutes ago, Revolution said:

When they smile and ask how you are.

this people are the WORST

 

Can't they just let me alone in my depression? 

buying unnecessary things and writing poems about you excessively even though you've only been on 2 dates and you both agreed it was a casual fling

 

Edited March 10, 20251 yr by Dolce Vita

In my experience, many people are nice when they want something from you. Sometimes it's money, sometimes it's sex, sometimes they want a favor from you like to cover their shift at work. When they get what they want, you don't hear from them again. 

anything troll Hailey Bieber does x

11 hours ago, MusicLoverDude said:

Buying you expensive things even though you just met them 

why do you think people do this