Human beings are like puppets.
Behind each one of us, there are strings that, when pulled in the right direction, can guide our behavior.
I know some people refuse to accept this. I used to be one of them.
But I learned the hard way that believing you’re immune to manipulation tactics makes you an easy target.
As Machiavelli said in his book, The Prince
“A man who wishes to make a profession of goodness in everything must necessarily come to grief among so many who are not so good. Therefore, it is necessary for a prince, who wishes to maintain himself, to learn how not to be good, and to use the knowledge and not use it, according to the necessity of the case.”
In other words, understanding how manipulators think doesn’t make you evil; it makes you prepared.
And you can use this knowledge to protect yourself or to persuade others ethically.
You know, it all depends on how you intend to use this information.
Just like a scalpel, these mind control techniques can heal or harm.
So let’s not waste time.
Let’s begin with a scarily effective strategy that is commonly used by conmen:
Manipulation Tactic #1 Ether
Let’s say you get into a conversation with a stranger and want them to do something against their interest…
You encourage them to talk about their life and listen attentively. You want to understand their greatest pains and desires. And what you’re doing, without them realizing it, is collecting ammunition for influence.
You’re mapping out their psychological needs.
When done right, this process sets the stage to induce a very specific and powerful psychological state known among con artists as ether.
But what is ether?
It is a slang used by conmen to explain a situation where the target is so excited, hopeful, or desperate that their logical brain goes offline.
Jimmy Edwards, a former conman, explains:
“Emotion is unpredictable. It peaks and valleys. Once you know where to take the person for the peak, and you can keep them up at that altitude, then you can control them. If you drop them back into the valley of logic, you’re going to lose them.”
So basically, when you put someone in a peak emotional state, their critical thinking shuts down.
That’s when they become highly vulnerable to manipulative behavior.
But how do you know you have them?
When they’re less irritated with you, like they might have been at the beginning of the conversation, and their tone of voice is calm, trusting, and somewhat submissive.
At that moment, they’ve lowered their defenses and you’ve got their attention and are willing to listen to your idea.
Now, let’s dive deeper into how we can induce the ether state in people.
From what I have noticed, there are two key ingredients:
First, there’s a financial need brought on by the loss of a job or other economic problems.
Second, there’s always a psychological need, like the desire to feel superior, escape loneliness, escape boredom, grow, survive, etc.
That’s the sweet spot for every mind control technique out there.
Let me give you an example from my life.
Years ago, I got addicted to football betting. I’d spend hours analyzing games like I was some genius strategist.
Now I didn’t do it for money. Because whatever money I made, I used it to bet again.
But I was bored as hell, and betting increased my adrenaline levels.
It also increased my stress levels dramatically.
Here’s the thing… that’s “the beauty” of it. It was a combination of pain and pleasure.
You know, it’s like popcorn and M&Ms. On their own, they taste good, but when combined, they taste great.
The same combination shows up in addiction… toxic relationships… in the way people cling to habits that are clearly hurting them.
You’ll learn to live with that combination and even unconsciously seek it.
I think this might be one of the reasons why people who were scammed before fall for the same scams again and again.
Or why people accept being in a toxic relationship, and even if they break up, they find someone who’s just as toxic.
People are so damn interesting, aren’t they?
Manipulation Tactic #2 Intermittent Reinforcement
B.F. Skinner is one of the most influential psychologists of the 20th century.
In my view, he unintentionally cracked the code on manipulative behavior.
With a simple pigeon experiment, he exposed a fundamental truth about how easily we’re controlled.
The experiment was simple:
He created a box where the pigeon can peck a button and get rewarded with tasty food.
Skinner expected that the more often the pigeon got the treat, the more often it would hit the bar.
However, the experiment showed different results:
- When the pigeon never got food as a reinforcement, it stopped pecking the bar altogether. (It makes sense. No reward, no action.)
- If it always got food, it pecked occasionally.
- But when the reward was random… sometimes yes, sometimes no? That bird went absolutely nuts, hammering that bar over and over.
The reason is that the pigeon didn’t know when the next reward was coming. And that uncertainty created an obsession.
Skinner concluded that random rewards are the most powerful way to control behavior.
Now, swap out the pigeon for a person, and the bar for validation, love, or attention, and what you get is one of the most dangerous psychological manipulation tactics out there.
Let me explain…
Pigeon behavior is very similar to humans.
Just like in the second case, when the pigeon pecked the bar moderately, we also respond moderately well to someone who treats us well.
The reason is that people take for granted what they know they can have.
But when they give us love, affection, or attention sporadically… They pull away, then come back, then disappear again…That’s when our minds go into overdrive.
The reason is that people want what they feel they can’t have.
This desire causes people to want products they can’t afford. And pursue women/men they can’t have.
Next, we’ll talk about how manipulators build the illusion of authority and why even good people will blindly obey a stranger in a lab coat.
Manipulation Tactic #3 Exploiting Authority
In 1961, Yale psychologist Stanley Milgram wanted to know how far people would go when told to obey an authority figure.
Here was the setup:
Participants thought they were taking part in a study about memory and learning.
On the other side of the wall was a “student” (actually an actor). Every time the student gave a wrong answer, the participant was told to administer an electric shock, starting at 15 volts and increasing up to 450 volts.
Now the student wasn’t actually being shocked. But he screamed. He begged. He even pretended to pass out.
But the participants kept going because the man in the lab coat simply made some statements like:
- Please continue
- The experiment requires you to continue
- It is absolutely essential that you continue
- You have no other choice but to continue
Before the experiment, the psychologists assumed only a few people would go all the way.
They were wrong.
65% of participants continued to the highest level of 450 Volts.
And every single one went to at least 300 volts, a level that could easily be lethal.
Think about it.
Many of us struggle to convince people to do something good for them. Yet, there’s this guy in a lab coat who suggested to a bunch of strangers to essentially kill someone, and they did it.
This is the terrifying power of exploiting authority.
Why Authority Equals Obedience
If we look at it from an evolutionary perspective, obeying authority was essential for our survival.
Every ancient tribe had a leader who kept the group united and ensured everyone had the necessary resources to survive. So those who followed the leader were more likely to get food, stay safe, and have children.
On the other hand, if someone disobeyed the leader, they would likely be expelled from the group, and that was basically a death sentence.
So we are descendants of people who lived in groups and obeyed the leader.
In addition, if we consider Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, we see that by staying in the group, we’re fulfilling three basic needs: Physiological, Safety, and Belonging.
And then we might be able to climb higher and achieve self-actualization.
That’s why there’s a strong connection between authority and obedience.
So today, when someone in a position of power gives a command, something ancient in your brain lights up and says:
“Comply… or be cast out.”
This is why authority figures can manipulate entire behaviors. And if you’re not careful, it’s frighteningly easy to be led into doing things you never imagined.
Establishing Authority
Now, considering the benefits, how can we establish ourselves as an authority figure?
According to Chase Hughes, the author of the Ellipsis Manual, four core traits form the backbone of establishing authority:
The first quality is Discipline – If you want to control others, you need to control yourself first.
The second quality is Leadership – Not the kind you find in cheesy business books.
Real leadership is a subtle blend of behavior, quiet confidence, humility, and what Hughes calls “silent power.” This is one of the most overlooked yet powerful influence tactics on the planet.
Next, we have Gratitude.
It’s when you truly understand the value of what you have, and you’ve learned to take full advantage of any resource or ability at your disposal, even if it’s very little.
This reminds me of a scene from Iron Man. If you haven’t watched it, it’s a minor spoiler.
So Tony Stark is kidnapped and held in a cave.
He didn’t whine and complain to himself like ‘Why did I come here? I should’ve done this differently; Why can’t I get a break?’ and stuff like that.
Instead of wasting precious mental energy, he fully accepted the situation and immediately started thinking about how to exploit any tool, ability, and opportunity at his disposal.
Next, we have the fourth quality… Being Fun
We’re naturally drawn to people who are having a damn good time.
If someone is laughing, smiling, and fully present in the moment, then people want to be near them. That energy is contagious.
A Quick Recap:
When you combine self-control, commanding presence, gratitude, and light-heartedness, you project an energy that others naturally want to follow.
That’s how you become an authentic authority figure.
Now, I know that many influential figures in our society do not have these qualities.
They have no discipline, they’re mediocre at their job, and if you got to know them personally, you’d realize that despite having a lot of money and power, they’re miserable.
So, how is it that they’ve authority over people?
The reason is that they’re masters at crafting perceived authority.
They are like method actors. They create this persona that people want to see and are constantly in character. And that’s how they reap the benefits of authority without doing the heavy work of getting their shit together.
There’s a major downside to this strategy.
Eventually, they’ll start believing they are capable people, that they’re truly great.
Since they’re operating on an illusion, what they are is… truly fucked.
That’s the curse of Machiavellian manipulation. Sure, it gets them power, control, maybe even wealth.
But once they start believing their own BS, it’s simply a countdown to their inevitable downfall.
You know, deviating from reality has serious consequences.
So here’s my take:
Use what you’re learning here to influence people for good.
But don’t lie to others. And most importantly, don’t lie to yourself.
Self-deception is the most dangerous manipulation tactic of all, and the only one where you’re both the puppet and the puppeteer.
Manipulation Tactic #4 Exploiting Their Sense of Hope
People can tolerate many things, but a lack of hope isn’t one of them. It’s one of the most unsettling psychological states a human being can experience.
It’s like being lost in a dark forest. You feel alone, powerless, and hyper-alert to every threat… Even the tiniest setback makes your heart race. And the more you try to get out, the more lost you become.
In that moment, if anyone shows up and offers a way out, you listen. Maybe even follow them blindly.
That’s the raw power of exploiting hope.
Suppose we look at it on a large scale. During a time of crisis (a war, financial, or natural disaster), a large number of people will feel hopeless.
And for a rational reason, right? It’s a truly difficult situation for them.
But it’s a great opportunity for demagogues to gain power.
They grab people’s attention by correctly identifying their fears. And they create a scapegoat for their problems. You know it’s the narrative if you’ve tried and failed, it’s not your fault… It’s because this group of people made sure that you’ll stay down.
This creates a fine line between you and them, and it makes the group more united.
The fastest way to keep a group is by creating an enemy group.
But identifying their fears and the enemy is not enough.
You also need a narrative of how you are going to help them.
In this case, you play into their fantasies. Because here’s an interesting tendency… People who feel hopeless or feel like they are a total failure also have grandiose fantasies.
So you paint a compelling picture of the future where you’ll make their grandiose fantasies a reality.
Let’s stop here for a moment.
Simply making huge promises isn’t going to cut it because there’s a subtle element to consider.
Sure, you’re playing into their fantasies, but this scenario needs to be believable. They must believe that what you’re promising can be accomplished, especially by them.
So wild promises work when there’s an element of possibility. Or to be more accurate, when they perceive that what you’re promising can be accomplished.
Look, what you are learning in this article can also be used for good purposes.
I strongly believe that if you’re a truly capable person, you don’t need to manipulate people.
I mean, if you’re an expert at what you do, combined with strong social skills, then it’s enough to become successful, and most importantly, sleep well at night.
Now let’s continue with an example of how this strategy was used for evil purposes on a massive scale.
The Rise of Hitler
After the end of World War 1, Germany was on the losing side and faced harsh terms under the Treaty of Versailles.
They were forced to accept full responsibility for starting the war; they had to pay massive reparations which crippled their economy, and lost significant territories.
All of these terms made Germans feel deeply angry and humiliated.
Then the government tried to pay the reparations by printing more money. But that decision made their currency worthless in 1923.
Then in 1929, the great depression in the US crippled the German economy. You see, the Americans asked them to pay back their loans on very short notice, which caused a downward spiral.
During all this time, the Nazi party was gaining ground but they didn’t have much support.
However, this crisis made people look for quick and simple solutions.
Nazis took full advantage of the situation. They promised to make Germany strong again… to regain what they lost, to punish its enemies, and stuff like that.
So what brought the rise of Hitler was a decade of constant crisis, well-crafted propaganda, and a great miscalculation from Von Papen (the chancellor) and Hindenburg (the president).
They appointed Hitler as chancellor in 1932 because they thought they could control him.
Boy were they wrong.
Now, would a maniacal loser have risen to power if the Germans had won WW1, or if the Treaty of Versailles hadn’t asked so much from them?
Probably Not.
But I wouldn’t give a definitive no because we should never underestimate the stupidity of the masses, even when things are going relatively well.
The main takeaways from this chapter are that:
If you are in a difficult situation and feel hopeless, you should be extra careful about whom you trust because you can easily go from rain to storm.
And if you notice that many people in the country seem to have lost hope, and they are in a state of apathy, then that’s a huge sign that your country is fucked.
