Episode - 42 Napoleon & Manipulation

Guilt, fear, and social obligation...these are the tools of the manipulator. So how do we spot skilled manipulators, and where do they hone their skills in the first place?

Manipulation comes in different flavors, and different sizes. The child who threatens a screaming fit in a crowded store if they don’t get a toy, is a manipulator. But so is the tyrant who demands love from the people, while simultaneously shutting down the news media. On today’s episode we’re going to define true manipulation - that is, getting something out of you without directly asking for it. And we’re going to explore the styles of manipulation, how to spot them, and how to beat the manipulators at their own game. Then we’ll ask the question: Is lying a manipulation? Is gossip? And is there anything inherently negative in spreading gossip or lies?

For our historical example we’ll look at one of history’s most prolific and successful manipulators, Napoleon Bonaparte. Whose greatest manipulation had nothing to do with his height (which was perfectly normal for his era!) Instead we’ll focus on the most clever manipulations ever devised by a benevolent tyrant. Like how Napoleon literally painted himself to be the hero of several of his early battles. How Napoleon attacked and eventually shut down the majority of printing presses in Paris. And how he won the hearts and minds of the people by flooding their homes with art and pamphlets of himself. Truly historic levels of manipulation.