Manipulative tool

Overview
A manipulative tool is any tool (typically of a rhetorical nature, rather than a physical device) which can be used to manipulate people. Although any tool can be misused, manipulative tools are especially prone to abuse as they are both unnecessary (most people do not normally need to be forced to do things that are good or right) and tempting (manipulation of groups of people is one of the most common ways to gain personal power and wealth).

People who use manipulative tools are generally authoritarian leader personalities, though sometimes authoritarian followers will use them on orders from an authoritarian leader. Non-authoritarian personalities tend to avoid such things, preferring to deal openly and honestly with other people, treating them as peers and co-citizens rather than competition for scarce power resources.

Related Pages

 * The manipulative tools category lists a number of such tools.