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12 Classic Propaganda Techniques

Narcissists Use to Manipulate You
Propaganda is powerful. It can start wars and end governments.

Strikingly, in their personal lives narcissists routinely use classic

propaganda techniques — similar to the techniques used by repressive
regimes throughout history — to control, confuse and manipulate you
and others.

Propagandists use words and ideas in a misleading or biased fashion

to persuade others to think, feel or act in certain ways.

As long as there has been propaganda, there have been efforts to see
through it. Some 2,500 years ago Socrates developed critical thinking
skills to debunk fallacious arguments. Critical thinking skills are widely
taught in schools today.

Following are 12 widely-researched propaganda techniques. As you

read these you may wish to note any which parallel how the narcissists
in your life try to influence or exploit you and others.

One way to do this is to recall a conversation with a narcissist or refer

to a letter, email or voicemail from a narcissist, and identify instances
of propaganda-like tactics from the list below.Each technique listed has
an example of phrases used. If you hear such phrases from a
narcissist, these are red flags signaling possible coercion, deception or
manipulation.
1) Ad Hominem: From the Latin meaning towards the man, an attempt
to shift the conversation by getting personal.

If you bring up a topic that threatens a narcissists ego, he may resort to

name-calling, questioning your intelligence or attacking your character.
This technique is designed to distract from the topic at hand and make
you feel you have to defend yourself.

Example: When you voice an opinion opposite of what a narcissist

believes, the narcissist may say,Youre delusional. You’re clueless, as
usual.

2) Glittering Generalities: Using glowing words and statements to

describe ones self, ideas, or behaviors without providing evidence.

Narcissists are in love with their words just as they are in love with
everything about themselves. They think superlatives make them look
good.

Example: A narcissistic husband tells his spouse: Im the most amazing

husband ever. Im super-thoughtful, smart and always available. I
provide a world-class lifestyle for you.

3) The Big Lie: Spinning a lie so outrageous that others are at a loss
where to even begin to refute it.

Narcissists are convinced that whatever they say in the moment is 100
percent true just because they are saying it. Lying often comes
naturally. They know that the bigger the lie, the more it may overwhelm
others’ critical faculties.

Example: A narcissist when confronted with a credit-card bill evidence

of an extra-marital affair: I’ve never been to that hotel in my life. That
hotel is notorious for making up fake check-in records and then
blackmailing innocent people like me. There was a big article online
about that a while back. You probably saw it. I might even have an
email from the hotel trying to blackmail me in my inbox right now. I will
fight this slander all the way to the Supreme Court. They will be sorry
they ever made up this lie about me.

4) Intentional Vagueness: Saying something so vague as to be

meaningless or open to multiple interpretations.

This can leave others stymied, trying to figure out what was meant. In
so doing, the vagueness distracts attention from legitimate concerns or
questions.

Example: A narcissist when asked why he did something: I did what

had to be done. I always do what needs to be done. Its obvious.

5) Exaggerating: Stretching the truth to extremes to get credit,

eliminate doubt, or coerce someone.

Narcissists have grandiose personas. Exaggerating is second nature

to them.

Example: Reaction from a narcissist when a friend suggests theirs is a

one-sided relationship: Im the best and most generous friend you’ve
ever had. I’ve done more for you than anybody in history has done for
another.

6) Minimizing: The opposite of exaggeration, minimizing denies or

downplays anything that doesn’t fit with a propagandist’s goals.

Narcissists are desperately image conscious so they frequently

minimize the negative consequences of their actions. They also
discount others feelings and needs, which narcissists tend to see as
nuisances.

Setting better boundaries starts here

Learn more about defining boundaries in your relationships, practicing
consistency, and living with intention with our limited series.

Example: A narcissistic parent’s response to adult child who wants to

discuss the parent’s past neglect or abuse: What are you talking about,
you had a great childhood. Yes I was strict but all parents were in
those days. You have nothing to complain about.

7) False Equivalence: Attempting to equate vastly different situations

to ones advantage.

Narcissists use false equivalencies to justify their unreasonable views

and grandiose needs as well as to avoid responsibility for their
destructive behaviors.

Example: Reaction from a narcissistic parent after raiding an adult

child’s bank account: Yes, I emptied your account. But don’t forget, you
once stole a dollar from your younger brother when you were six.

8) Gish Gallop: A rapid-fire series of assertions, questions and

accusations launched at another without giving a chance to respond.

Named after the 20th century creationist Duane Gish, this technique
attempts to convince or overwhelm others by listing many shorthand
arguments, any one of which could be easily refuted, but the collective
weight of which seem convincing and would take time and effort to
refute.

Narcissists love the feeling of power and dominance that comes from
spitting out multiple statements that make others appear foolish or
ignorant.

Example: A narcissistic partner when criticized: How dare you question

me? Ive given you everything you have. Do you think you could have
survived without my help? Ive accomplished more in the last week than
you have in a year. Who would you be without me? You think your
friends would lift a finger if you really needed it? Youre often so wrong
you dont even realize it. Im surprised youve managed to survive this
long.

9) Lesser of Two Evils: Giving someone only two undesirable options

of which one is far more catastrophic.

Narcissists use this to justify or excuse control, abuse, or other

excesses.

Example: A narcissistic parent to an adult child: Yes, you were hit you
as a child when you misbehaved. Would you rather have been sexually
abused? Count your blessings.

10) Repetition / Ad Nauseam: Repeating a word or phrase endlessly

to sidetrack discussion.

The goal is that if something is said often enough, others may start to
believe it. It also is a way of dismissing what another is saying my
simply talking over them, repeating a stock phrase or being
unresponsive to further discussion.

Example: A narcissistic boss to employee: Ive made up my mind.

Thats all there is to it. My mind is made up. When I make up my mind,
my mind is made up. Period.

11) Scapegoating: Falsely blaming one individual for a groups

problems.

Scapegoating is one of narcissists favorite tactics because it can

accomplish many things at once: making others feel inferior; getting
other people to go along with the narcissist in ostracizing someone;
gaining a feeling of power at orchestrating a group action; hiding or
distracting from anything that would make the narcissist look bad; and
evading the narcissists responsibility for creating part of the problem.
Example: A meddling narcissistic relative: Youre the reason this entire
family is a mess.

12) Tu Quoque: From the Latin for You too, answering a criticism by
asserting the other person is guilty as well.

The implication is that a questioner or accuser is hypocritical. The goal

is to have a stalemate and put others on the defensive while
sidestepping the original complaint.

Example: Response from a narcissist when told he is being

selfish: How dare you accuse me of being selfish. You’re just trying to
make yourself look good by making me look bad. It doesn’t get any
more selfish than that.

Bottom line: Propaganda relies on distortions. Narcissistic Personality

Disorder,like all personality disorders, is characterized by distortions of
normal, healthy thinking and behavior. By spotting how narcissists
distort facts, language, feelings and ideas to coerce, diminish and take
advantage of others, you can gain a healthy distance that makes it
easier to set healthy boundaries against destructive narcissists.

Read additional propaganda tactics used be narcissists here:14

Thought-Control Tactics Narcissists Use to Confuse and Dominate
You

Sources and Resources

yourlogicalfallacyis.com Bernays, E.L. (1928). Propaganda. New York:

Horace Liveright, Inc. Lasswell, H.D. (1938). Propaganda technique in
the world war. New York: Peter Smith. Lippmann, W. (1922). Public
opinion. New York: The Free Press.