The End Of Manipulation

O, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.

- Walter Scott

Fantasy is a sparkling, gilded cage. While it offers the illusion of perfection, the promise of salvation, and temporary pain relief, it is ultimately fertile ground for manipulation. Fantasy always comes at a price. To maintain the illusion, the people involved have to not only defend against reality, but actively manipulate it. Each person is trying to cope with an inner Dystopia while cultivating a carefully-balanced outer Utopia. The more these two realms are at odds, the more loathing and madness enter the relationship.

The True Self knows all. Beneath the fantasy, we sense what is really going on. Yet we brush it all aside. We ignore the red flags, especi...