A friends does not manipulate you and you do
not use manipulation with your friends.
If you think you could be guilty of
manipulation or feel a friend is manipulating you, ask yourself a few questions:
Do we always go to the place my friend prefers or always go to
the places I prefer?Does my friend use humor to put me down or do I do likewise?
Does my friend seem to enjoy correcting factual errors in conversations? Do I?
Do I always seem to seem weak or "poor me" to a friend or does my friend do this to me?
Do I need my friend enough to be the clutching type or does she/he seem to be clutching at me?
The above are instances of manipulation that have no place in friendship.
According to Alan Loy McGinnis in his book The Friendship Factor, there are three types of manipulators:
- The manipulator who needs to be needed.
- The manipulator who wants to take charge.
- The manipulator who wants to be pitied and manipulates by appearing weak.
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