DARK PERSONALITIES AND WHAT THEY DO:
When one works with predators one can begin to see patterns emerging and characteristics that can’t be overlooked, should not be overlooked and if overlooked, can get one in trouble professionally and personally.
These individuals are constantly making others miserable, breaking laws, taking advantage of others and/or abusing others. They also cause pain and suffering not once, but repeatedly over their lifetime. They don’t respect people or laws. They believe that laws do not apply to them. They don’t have empathy for others and instead see others as less intelligent, property, objects, and a means to an end to get what they want.
They repeat their behavior over and over without concern for the physical or psychological damage they inflict on others. They are very deceptive and may look or act quite normal on the surface and may even be intelligent, interesting, charming, but are always dangerous.
There is NO equality in a relationship with them.
THINKING DISTORTIONS, PATTERNS, AND TACTICS
- Distortions
- Thinking Distortions:
- Extreme thinking
- Overgeneralization
- Personalization
- Magnification or minimization
- Jumping to conclusions
- Selective focus
- Concrete thinking
- Actor vs observer bias
- Closed thinking
- Emotional reasoning
- TACTICS
- Avoidance Strategies:
- Lying by omission or commission
- Being deliberately vague
- Staying silent to avoid notice
- False compliance
- Playing dumb
- Selective memory and attention
- Minimizing
Diversion Strategies:
- Pointing out others faults
- Magnifying
- Deliberately trying to confuse
- Quibbling over words
- Introducing irrelevant issues
- Discussing smokescreen issues
- Self-shaming to avoid responsibility
III. Patterns
- Criminal Thinking Patterns
- Victim stance
- “Good person” stance
- “Unique person” stance
- Fear of exposure
- Lack of trust
- Lack of time perspective
- Selective effort
- Use of power and control
- Seeks excitement first
- Ownership stance
Addictive Thinking Patterns
- Self-pity stance
- “Good person” stance
- “Unique person” stance
- Fear of exposure
- Selective effort
- Use of deceit to control
- Seeks pleasure first
- Ownership stance
- Aggression Strategies
- Arguing
- Threatening words or behaviors
- Raging
- Sarcasm and teasing
- Creating chaos
- Attention seeking
The Role of Charisma
- In general, charismatic personalities are known for their inescapable magnetism, their winning style, the self-assurance with which they promote something–a cause, a belief, a product. A charismatic person who offers hope of new beginnings often attracts attention and a following.
- One dictionary definition of charisma is “a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (as a political leader or military commander); a special magnetic charm or appeal.” Charisma was studied in depth by the German sociologist Max Weber, who defined it as “an exceptional quality in an individual who, through appearing to possess supernatural, providential, or extraordinary powers, succeeds in gathering disciples around him.“
- Weber’s charismatic leader was “a sorcerer with an innovative aura and a personal magnetic gift, [who] promoted a specific doctrine…. [and was] concerned with himself rather than involved with others….[He] held an exceptional type of power: it set aside the usages of normal political life and assumed instead those of demagoguery, dictatorship, or revolution, [which induced] men’s whole-hearted devotion to the charismatic individual through a blind and fanatical trust and an unrestrained and un-critical faith.”
These predators lie, groom, manipulate and have charisma which help them hide behind their evil deeds. Be aware of their tactics to lure their victims into their imposter Casanova mask.