From the author: How are we being manipulated, and who is doing it? -published in a blog! At the beginning of the 21st century, a wave of trainings and seminars on manipulation and countering it swept through the communities of volunteer organizations in the CIS from the West. I have never seen such nonsense before or since in this form. The seminar participants, as the more impressionable part of the volunteer community, spiritually flew out of the seminars and went to divorce their halves, who were completely caught in manipulation. On the other hand, there were also attempts to get rid of a manipulative life partner. Examples of the Idiocy of the topic “manipulation”, heard loudly at several of these “seminars”: “If your wife asks you to take out the trash, saying the phrase “while I cook dinner for you,” she is maliciously manipulating you!” And on the other hand: “If your husband promises to give you more money if you wear a peignoir that he likes at night, or will do this in exchange for your more affectionate attitude towards him, know that this is an openly evil manipulation!” It was recommended: “a person caught in manipulation should be put in his place, but it is better to avoid contacts, break off any connection with him. If you are married to such a manipulator, do not hope to correct him, it is better to separate. The manipulator must feel the fruits of his evil intentions in his own skin!” Why did you remember it verbatim? At the first such seminar, a fat flower fly flew around the presenter, now a well-known figure in self-government, and landed on her head. For an entire hour, the presenter bravely endured her advances. In the end, she despaired, and, waving her arms, suddenly cried out to the fly: “What am I, what kind of shit??” Trying to contain their laughter in the midst of the silence, two volunteers made loud noises. This was the most obvious manipulation of our sense of humor. We manipulated ourselves, trying to hold back our laughter. The sphincters of the participants who were most unprepared for manipulation were the first to give up. Soon a break was announced, and the female part of the “seminarians” formed a friendly line to the toilet. Convulsive laughter still distorted the faces of the victims of manipulation. Men also turned out to be weak to this manipulation technique. This could be heard from their horse neighing in the cigarette nook. And I was defeated by the manipulation - I was shaking violently, and I left. You, the reader, are convinced every day that such and such are manipulating you. These bad men and women want to get something from you.. Meanwhile, the unknown invisible IT has long received from you EVERYTHING that you yourself need, and that you give with great anguish. Your money. To your health. Your time. Your will. You also manipulate each other without setting selfish goals, only because adjustments and influence on others are part of the sacred and natural right of communication with the outside world. And the better you master them, the more pleasant and successful our interaction with others and those around us. Because even the process of washing dishes by hand is manipulation. But dictionaries manipulate you too. And not always for a pleasant and lucky intention for you. And you think, freeze, digesting the message of the dictionary. And your will, your time, your health, your money, which you so need, have long been received from you by an unknown, invisible IT. Meanwhile, causing a great anguish in your soul. So necessary for successful evil manipulation..