Again, thanks for your endorsement of my work and for your comments.

Thank you so much for writing In Sheep’s Clothing. It’s a book that I keep turning back to whenever I’m trying to help others learn how manipulation works. And now that you’re continuing your work on the web, that’s even better.

If I may be so bold to make a recommendation (since you are seeking feedback), I think you could add Catastrophizing to your official list of manipulation tactics. As you know, it’s the opposite of Minimization and can be thought of as “making a mountain out of a molehill.”

You mention how it pertains to neurotics’ interpretation of their own behavior, but I’ve seen this tactic used effectively to manipulate others both on a personal level and on the world stage. For example, in the run-up to the Iraq war, Americans were manipulated, in part, into supporting the idea of going to war with Iraq through statements like these:

“America must not ignore the threat gathering against us. Facing clear evidence of peril, we cannot wait for the final proof, the smoking gun that could come in the form of a mushroom cloud.”
- George W. Bush, October 7, 2002

“The problem here is that there will always be some uncertainty about how quickly Saddam can acquire nuclear weapons. But we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.”
- Condoleezza Rice, September 8, 2002

Moreover, Vice President Dick Cheney created an entire policy doctrine based upon Catastrophizing called the “1% Doctrine” or the “Cheney Doctrine”:

“Under the Cheney Doctrine, Mr. Suskind writes, ‘a one percent chance of catastrophe must be treated ‘as a certainty,’ where firm evidence, of either intent or capability, is too high a threshold; where the doctrine is, in essence, prevention based on suspicion.’”
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/08/timestopics/cheney-books.html

Catastrophizing works by presenting the world or a situation in stark, black and white terms so the manipulator gets what he/she wants from the victim. Only the most distorted or extreme possible outcomes are presented in order to effectively limit and distort the victim’s perception of reasonable options. Outcomes contrary to the manipulator’s agenda are exaggerated to foment fear and dissuade the victim from their consideration.

Thanks again,

- Tom

The minimization can really make you feel like you’re going nuts, I end up questioning myself and thinking “is it me, am I mad”. Think it’s better to leave sooner rather than later before you lose sense of reality, I’d always say that to anyone now (one day I’ll learn that myself!).