Manipulation and Power Stuggle vs. Moral Values

[DmanD]

Lately I have had a certain epiphany in life. As I interact with more people, especially girls, I find out that many have personal, egotistic agendas and attempt to manipulate you to in accordance with it. The sense of achieving power or satisfying one's desires rules many people.

Also, I have read Robert Greene's books on power and seduction, and was exposed to Machiavellian thought in other books. And my dilemma is where do you emphasize moral values over personal achievement.

For example would you manipulate people to achieve something you want?

What if both parties benefit from the manipulation is it justified then?

Perhaps moral values are just a tool to control the masses?

After all, gaining power and satisfying your ambitions cannot allways be done in a "clean" and civilized manner.

I would like to hear your thoughts on the subject,
Dmand

 

[DonGorgon]

Oh you just noticed that people only care as much as it benefits them because we are al in competition for limited resources...LOL Nothing new.

 

[MooseGod]

Yeah if you really think about it, every relationship is a "give-take" thing...IE, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Just try to keep it about a 50/50 ratio and the moral dilemma is solved.

If you try to be too nice to everybody and their precious feelings you'll end up being a doormat.

 

[Technical1]

Machiavellian thinking is useful when people are in competition or have different agendas. In bringing it into our most personal relationships, I'm not sure whether we give ourselves an advantage or do ourselves wrong.

Alot of thinking on this website is geared towards quickly achieving intimacy with near-strangers, people who you cannot realistically trust. In that case, a machiavellian paradigm might be best suited.

In other cases you might want to simply screen and use slow rapport and trust building to the point where you dont have to think in a machiavellian way when dealing with your friends/lovers. I cant imagine that this will guarantee you maximum pvss, however.

 

[DonGorgon]

Yeah if you really think about it, every relationship is a "give-take" thing...IE, you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours. Just try to keep it about a 50/50 ratio and the moral dilemma is solved.

If you try to be too nice to everybody and their precious feelings you'll end up being a doormat.

Modern Females have a perceived higher value so most relationships start out more like 60 / 40 simply cause its so easy for women to go get another man just like you... this makes managing a relationship with any balance a very tricky deal

 

[tick37]

Modern Females have a perceived higher value so most relationships start out more like 60 / 40 simply cause its so easy for women to go get another man just like you... this makes managing a relationship with any balance a very tricky deal

That's why if you lower your standards and go for fat chicks, you'll have all the women you need.

 

[DonGorgon]

That's why if you lower your standards and go for fat chicks, you'll have all the women you need.

Yeh but fat chicks are not attractive... I do see many dudes talking to fatties in nightclubs now since the cute ones are so picky...