Guard yourself against manipulators
Once upon a time, a kind Brahmin (a priest) was given a goat. The goat was a gift for performing a ritual. He decided to carry the goat home on his shoulders. Three clever thieves saw him walking through the village. They decided to trick him into giving up the goat.
However, the thieves did not want to steal the goat by force. They came up with a plan to manipulate the Brahmin into thinking the goat was some other animal. They waited at different points along the road for the Brahmin to pass by.
The first thief approached the Brahmin. He said, “Why are you carrying a dog on your shoulders? Don’t you know it’s unclean for a holy man like you to carry a dog?”
The Brahmin was surprised. He looked at the goat but did not believe the man. He kept going on his way.
The second thief met him a little farther down the road. He said, “Oh my! Why would a learned Brahmin carry a dog on his back? How strange!”
This made the Brahmin start doubting himself.
“Is this really a dog?” he wondered but kept walking.
Finally, the third thief met the Brahmin. He exclaimed, “How shameful! A holy man like you carrying a filthy dog! What will people think of you?”
Now the Brahmin was convinced that he must have been carrying a dog all along. He threw the goat to the ground and ran away. The thieves happily took it.
This story shows how manipulation works. Manipulation occurs when someone tries to get you to do or think something by tricking you. You don’t realise it is happening. The thieves did not take the goat by force. They made the Brahmin doubt himself by repeating the same false idea. This is how manipulators try to control others. They make you question yourself even when you know the truth.
Manipulators are everywhere. They often fail to control young people because their parents or teachers are there to protect them. For example, imagine being a kid and someone trying to sell you a “magic” light by claiming its battery will never run out. Your parents will tell you that such a battery does not exist. However, you may have to face these situations alone as an adult. So, you need to learn how to identify manipulators and guard yourself against them.
