Seeds of Implausibility: A Study of Narcissistic and Borderline Manipulation

In the study of narcissistic behavior, they undoubtedly muddy the waters. However, that would be considered an absolute. Narcissistic behavior resists being uncovered, preferring to remain hidden. They conflate uncertainty and promote it valiantly. They insist it is more complex than it truly is—when it is not. They claim your message is contradictory or lacking nuance, even when the meaning should be self-evident, all to undermine your words. This, perhaps, because they sense you are onto them—even if only indirectly.

They claim there are no absolutes—but don’t all narcissists lie? Don’t all narcissists blur the lines and manipulate? To say there are no absolutes is to deny the existence of a concrete reality, which is the very reality where they can wander, roam freely, and thrive.

Those who excel in this channel frequently project internal struggles onto others, using emotional appeals to control or deliver veiled criticisms grounded in personal beliefs. They crave validation, seeking external acknowledgment of their internal values or principles. Often expressive and appearing to be principle-driven, such individuals project their beliefs and values outwardly yet fail to consistently uphold them.

Narcissists attract other narcissists when bound by a shared purpose or a mutual ability to exploit others. This connection is often fueled by a desire to amplify their influence, validate their actions, or achieve goals that serve their self-interest. Their alliance is rarely based on genuine respect or loyalty but rather on the utility they find in one another. Together, they can create a feedback loop of manipulation and self-aggrandizement, reinforcing each other's behaviors while leveraging collective power to dominate or deceive.

A core tactic of theirs is to plant seeds of implausibility. For instance, they might openly share their entire plan but follow it with a ridiculous, cringeworthy evil laugh or some exaggerated theatrical gesture. They may deliberately weave in bizarre, outlandish details, like claiming to have accomplices in far-fetched places or absurdly powerful connections.

They might even make exaggerated facial expressions or adopt cartoonish villain-like personas, knowing it will undermine your credibility if you try to recount it to others. This method ensures their actions are shrouded in disbelief, allowing them to operate without fear of being taken seriously.

A significant tool of manipulation employed is projection, a behavior not exclusive to narcissists but one of the four primary channels through which humans process information. While all individuals can use this channel, some are hardwired to rely on it—a tendency aligning with the Internal Outward channel.

This channel’s duality allows it to serve extraordinary individuals as much as it enables the creation of the most destructive. Principled engagement with authority often involves projecting internal convictions either to support or oppose it, with responses framed as matters of personal values or ethics.

For this reason, many people may seem to be narcissists but are not. However, this does not mean they aren't. One must also consider borderline personality disorder, where manipulation often overlaps as a significant trait. Those affected, too, seek to conceal it.

I have never been able to grasp why someone, knowing something is profoundly wrong within themselves, and understanding they are the source of their own misery, would still refuse the accountability needed to pursue help. Instead, they choose to impose this burden onto yourselves and others.

I now understand that these channels depend on external validation for sustenance. In contrast, being an Internal Inward, I rely solely on self-validation. While these tendencies are hard-wired, awareness of them provides the foundation to evolve into a significantly improved and more profound individual.

They present themselves within the office as the quintessential "goody-two-shoes," meticulously adhering to procedure and eagerly seeking external validation through these formal channels. Their adherence appears sincere, yet it often masks deeper intentions.

When fault arises, skilled projectors seem to accept blame—though indirectly, often laced with subtle sarcasm—as if acknowledging it in principle while deflecting its weight. This apparent contrition is a calculated maneuver, ultimately redirecting accountability onto someone else, shielding their own image while shifting the burden to another’s shoulders. Such behavior weaves a facade of compliance that conceals a deliberate evasion of responsibility.

They erode those who dare to take accountability, chipping away at their credibility and tearing them down systematically. To such individuals, honesty becomes a threat—an unforgivable reminder of their own inability or unwillingness to confront their flaws. Anyone who upholds integrity must be silenced or eliminated from the environment, as their mere presence challenges the carefully constructed facade—while also simultaneously deeply admiring these individuals for the ability to do what they cannot.

They use gossip, misdirection, and even calculated alliances to isolate and discredit the honest, ensuring that the space remains a domain of manipulation where accountability is not only unwelcome but punished. In this way, they perpetuate a culture of distrust, feeding their need for control and validation at the expense of those who stand for truth.

Insecurity:

• Rooted in a fear of inadequacy or rejection.
• Often manifests as overcompensation through self-deprecation or excessive compliance.
• Rarely involves deliberate manipulation of others.

Projection:

• Externalization of internal conflicts onto others.
• Frequently includes veiled criticisms and emotional appeals.
• Motivated by a need for validation or relief from internal turmoil.

Borderline Personality Traits:

• Includes intense emotional swings and fear of abandonment.
• Manipulative behaviors stem from a desire for connection or alleviation of personal suffering.
• At the mildest form of BPD, calculated and sustained manipulation, as seen in narcissism, is minimal or unintended, planned outward as projection; however, evidence suggests a spectrum exists between the two.

Narcissism:

• Deliberate and calculated manipulation for personal gain.
• Thrives in ambiguity and rejection of absolutes.
• Employs tactics like planting implausibility to evade accountability.
• Argues, infamicates, and undermines anyone that dare segregate the world they have shaped for centuries.

Though small in number, they act extraordinarily in unison without communication or external influence, forming a substantially self-enforced entity unlike anything ever seen. The Catholic Church may not even wield as great an influence as they do. Despite their lack of external controls and absence of a uniform or adaptable doctrine, the consistency of their behaviors and the ways they shape others remain strikingly apparent.

Navigating the intricate terrain of insecurity, projection, borderline tendencies, and narcissism demands a careful disentangling of behaviors and motivations. These traits, though distinct, converge and blur, particularly when manipulated by those intent on concealing their nature. This deliberate obfuscation often extends to those in positions of trust, such as therapists, who may unwittingly—or consciously—project their own struggles onto others.

Masking becomes the tool that blurs the lines, shrouding intent and creating ambiguity. Yet, actions remain steadfast in revealing truths, for while words can mislead, behaviors seldom betray their origins. Each presents unique challenges, but all share a common thread: evading accountability and manipulating perception to meet individual needs.

This reflection will continue to expand both within this platform it is published on, as well as part of the broader collection of my studies:

Lehti, Andrew (2024). Cognitive Psychology and the Education System. figshare. Collection. https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.7532079