Employing the Dark Side

"Evil is a source of moral intelligence in the sense that we need to learn from our shadow, from our dark side, in order to be good."
-John Bradshaw
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Shezbeth
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Employing the Dark Side

Post by Shezbeth »

I have often been criticized or subject to verbal flak for utilizing social and interpersonal methods which others find unethical. They are welcome to their opinions and positions, though I see things entirely differently.

In particular, it can be observed that I employ deception and illusion as a tool to advance my agendas and goals which - contrary to popular belief - are almost exclusively geared toward vetting, feeling out, and in some cases exposing (nothing over the top of course) individuals.

This of course is not appreciated by a significant majority.

What I will not do is attempt to justify my behavior, as I feel it requires no justification; if anything, the ends justify the means. What I will do is begin to illustrate how the deliberate use of manipulative and disingenuous behavior can be a very valid and viable tool to weed out those who are want to use manipulative and disingenuous behavior to take advantage of others. There's a term I was taught recently, that of Blue hat.

Make no mistake! I regularly employ confidence (con) games! I make no illusion of this, and neither am I repentant of the practice! What I WILL attempt to do is to iterate some of my methods so that individuals can employ them in their own situations (should they feel APPROPRIATE; key concept there) and suss out those in their environment who are LESS 'scrupulous' (I know how it might seem for me to use that term in this context,...) and are otherwise intent on predation.

This thread then is for individuals - like myself - to indicate social and interpersonal techniques (genjutsu) that are useful in opposition to unsuspecting (or ENTIRELY suspecting) 'victors'.
In chess there is the victim and the victor. The trick is to know when you ARE the former, so you can BECOME the latter. - Paraphrased from the movie 'Revolver' with Jason Statham
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Hermit »

(I read blue as bacon and choked.)

I am very fond of an old hermit's method. My patron Saint, St. Fiacre (see the avatar to the left) built a hermitage and was so against women entering it that he would beat any woman who entered the sanctuary off with a stick.

Now because I'm gay, I have a hard time relating and an easy time relating to this. I don't think he was anti-woman or anti-feminist in the least. I think he was a horny old man who knew if women were too close he would be too tempted by his own weakness. Emphasis on weakness. Passion is not a bad thing, but slavery is.

I digress.

If beating with a stick does not work, I revert to a method passed to me by a mentor some years ago which is, if not extremely useful, somewhat difficult given the nature of the human beings we all are.

You simply sit back, do nothing, and let them show you their games.

Then you make sure you never let them know you know their games. Because they will always change them, and you'll have to start over again.

*edit* I forgot the most important thing. Let them play because, in the end, they will always always always end up tripping over themselves. Because you are not involved you will be as clean as a teflon pan on the store shelf.

Hermit says: just don't involve yourself. There's plenty of other people to get entangled in your place. Walk softly, and carry a big schtick.

;)
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Phil »

I hear what you dudes are saying I think, I try to lean toward the latter of hermit's suggestion, when sharing truth doesn't help. I'm fairly certain deception contributes to the loops, is a game begetting more games, no matter how well intended

I think we need less games, less superficial bullshit--glitz and glimmer--surface appearances...to be an example and make truth the norm and deception the taboo, switch the paradigm on its head, cuz it's pretty backward if you ask me
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Shezbeth »

You've hit the nail on the head. The tactics I employ when I 'smell a rat' involve tailoring one's response to the individual. In some cases the individual - feeling entitled and unobstructed - will reveal their games quite readily (although it takes a shrewd awareness to detect these games in some) while others employ more skill and finesse; it is these that my methods work well on.

The thing about individuals of the sort I am describing is that, for one there is a divide (not readily apparent) to the presented persona and the legitimate persona. The 'sales pitch' they will offer will be suitably plausible, and in most cases will involve some form of dangled carrot (there's an infamous Chrome-dome who told me - and I'm quoting - "You WILL get to eat that carrot, I give you my word",... ~_~).

So then, I find it useful to 'play along'. Adopting the strategy of 'if this is true, then,... (who, what, when, where, why, and how)' works, though is a time-consuming process, identifying all the 'legitimate' causes and effects surrounding their position. After that, the next step is to exhaustively identify 'if this is FALSE, then,... (w,w,w,w,w,h)'. I wholly agree, one is best suited to affecting an air of naivete, which is usually readily eaten up. Lets face it - duplicitous predation is often accompanied by an overblown sense of self-worth and self-ability, and such individuals rarely employ the critical capacity to realize that their 'dupe' is in fact duping them. There's a Law of Power about that,... "Play a Sucker to Catch a Sucker; Seem Dumber than your Mark".

And it needn't go on for too long, just long enough for them to play along with your playing along. From one's affected naive position, it is a simple matter of (usually with hints - but only hints! - of flattery and 'oh wow, I'm so impressed by you' type comments) garnering tidbits of (false) position and perception.

Over time, one will probably notice a variable (or ten) that don't seem to match up. The trick then is to slowly maneuver a/the conversation to address those variables (but not from a 'I want to know the truth', rather a 'could you help me understand what you mean' position).

Rarely have I encountered one who's conscious faculties were sufficient to maintain the ENTIRE web-work of illusion they would maintain, and errors and slip-ups will continue. Then, its just a matter of waiting for them to make some form of 'authoritative' blanket-statement that you know (have witnessed evidence to the contrary) is false. THEN you go in for the kill.

The real litmus test then is to see how they respond.

The thing is, when individuals engage in long-term games such as those I am advising to avoid/confront, they do so from a position of inordinate pride,... which is the easiest of characteristics to exploit during the 'game'. Like I said, they don't like to think that others are smart and they are dumb; quite the opposite.
Last edited by Shezbeth on Sat Jan 02, 2016 12:15 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Shezbeth »

Begging your pardon Phil, but IMO your position is the one that is ass backwards.

Duplicity is endemic to life. Don't believe me? Ask a child if they have done something wrong, when they know they have. There are countless studies - with children and adults - that indicate the level to which individuals lie to each-other; everyone does it.

Idealism is NOT going to change anything, but an effective strategy could (and in my experience does) make the mediation of such conflicts far more effortless, streamlined, and - in some cases - fun.

The ONE guideline is that one's games should NOT be offensive (as in, playing 'offense' rather than 'defense'), and should be employed in response to other people's games.

Essentially, "the game started before 'I' start playing" is precisely the scenario these tactics are designed for.
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Christine »

Employing one of the tactics of which Shez speaks, I waited to see where he is going with this, perhaps admittedly deceptive dialog. ^_~

She likes to play too, all in good sport and advises to have fun.

What I most admire about his moves is that he is testing himself and is aware of such. I would remind the reader to take this into consideration; all of our words are our own truth, they reveal. The crux is can we make them Real.

They are our own test and only when forged into Being do we become a testament to Truth.

In all transparency I am employing my intuitive feminine side to the subject looking for the essence of his writing. I want to distill it down to one golden drop.

I readily admit that the tactics described are of necessity, for we are all too easily fooled, duped and deployed to do the false side’s deeds. We only need analyze the recent display before our seeing eyes. How many saw, how many turned a blind eye, how many justified?

In my opinion you do a service, Shezbeth in showing how the dark side moves. For one I am grateful, though many may find it distasteful. I honor your truth and transparency, it is a courageous act.

It is a summation that when one enters the game, and we are all in the game, no getting around that, you live you play.

So with finesse, you often disarm the opponent, I find this valuable and necessary.

I too find morals over rated for of a corrupted human mind they have been formed. Internal ethics of honor are to be cultivated.

Here is where I make my stand to a higher Truth be known. There is an Universal Law that is a force all its own. It is outside the game, has no agenda, no bones to pick and sees all the multidimensional aspects, consider it the tune and the tone. Once recognized and internalized you have your greatest ally.

Engagement with the Adversary should be kept to a minimum and only when vitally necessary. It thrives on your energy, and cares little if one is astute or not, it exists because we make it so. In that sense Shezbeth is showing us something about being effective, if we don’t extract the energy that has been stolen we are still feeding it. I suggest there are multiple manners in which this is done. Staying fooled and afraid don’t count.

Only when the ego is gone do we act in sovereignty, iAvatar.

Each of us in our awakening state to that Self be True. In speaking my truth there is no judgment of any other on the field.

I am playing a role, my purpose to be known.

The real difference we can make is when we Know and consciously engage our own force, this makes 99.9% of all people uncomfortable.

There are a few who with one word, one act can change the whole. They seek no recognition and only in silence are they known.

The strongest of the strong are the gentlest among us.

Becoming is innervisible, when we walk through the thickest stone.

Touch the core of one with light, fiercest love is laser like.

Like the sounding of a perfect bell, the soul once touched will have no choice but to its own unveiling.

The saddest thing to me is to observe how we enable each other as victims. Pure compassion is beautiful beyond measure, it isn’t this I am speaking of. It is the way we coddle each other in half truths because we can’t stand alone in ours.

This doesn’t make one right or another wrong, this is the one aspect that we can dive deeper into this year. A most important one, we are all needed, strong trees deeply rooted, each true to their own purpose.

I feel such gratitude for this opportunity, it overwhelms me at times …
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Phil »

Off Topic
then, I find it useful to 'play along'. Adopting the strategy of 'if this is true, then,... (who, what, when, where, why, and how)' works, though is a time-consuming process, identifying all the 'legitimate' causes and effects surrounding their position. After that, the next step is to exhaustively identify 'if this is FALSE, then,... (w,w,w,w,w,h)'. I wholly agree, one is best suited to affecting an air of naivete, which is usually readily eaten up
I got you, I think this is a truly effective and useful technique, but just because you show how "their truth" (evening feeling it's deception) plays out to me is not "employing the dark side".

I don't like to generalities but in this case I feel the method you describe is usable on all situations with anyone.

It doesn't have to come off as a fake niavte and you don't have bend truth to do it. If you stay true and use only their words, you are shedding light. The "dark side" is in the intent, not the words.

I really like how you describe, it is an extremely useful tool in negotiating this reality...which I try to employ and teach in nearly every interaction.

If we can help people can start seeing that the lies are actually much "worse" than any truth they're trying to "make better" could ever be, we'd be going a long way toward sharing the import of personal responsibility, which to me is the key to creating the reality most of seem to like to tell each other we'd like to see
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Phil »

Shezbeth wrote:Begging your pardon Phil, but IMO your position is the one that is ass backwards.

Duplicity is endemic to life. Don't believe me? Ask a child if they have done something wrong, when they know they have. There are countless studies - with children and adults - that indicate the level to which individuals lie to each-other; everyone does it.

Idealism is NOT going to change anything, but an effective strategy could (and in my experience does) make the mediation of such conflicts far more effortless, streamlined, and - in some cases - fun.

The ONE guideline is that one's games should NOT be offensive (as in, playing 'offense' rather than 'defense'), and should be employed in response to other people's games.

Essentially, "the game started before 'I' start playing" is precisely the scenario these tactics are designed for.
Just because the games started before you got there, doesn't mean you have to play them.

Playing the same games the same way keeps the loops going, IMO

The shift from your previous (or at least the chunk I took from it) to this doesn't seem to "connect" to me

The only thing you prove in your second example is that you understand the game and can be better at it than your adversary.

i live by trying to show others that maybe they want to play a different game, or maybe even do something else entirely

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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Phil »

I too find morals over rated for of a corrupted human mind they have been formed. Internal ethics of honor are to be cultivated.
Morals--as we think of them--are dictated by "authority", that's the problem with them. We could probably come up with pretty good (or at least way more effective) "moral codes" if we employed what you describe as "universal law"...which i disagree is that either--anything "universal" or truly a "law"--actually exist.

Our morality is relative, and if we can lose the emotional attachment to our sense of "right & wrong" we'd more clearly see the deceptions put in place perpetuating the "game" (meta-game of deception)

And I think the end of your post describes an important aspect of it but not just the totality. Being able to distinguish actual victimhood from the fake sense of it is important...but to do that you have understand the nature of the actor/abuser...
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Re: Employing the Dark Side

Post by Shezbeth »

Phil wrote:Just because the games started before you got there, doesn't mean you have to play them.

Playing the same games the same way keeps the loops going, IMO

The shift from your previous (or at least the chunk I took from it) to this doesn't seem to "connect" to me

The only thing you prove in your second example is that you understand the game and can be better at it than your adversary.

i live by trying to show others that maybe they want to play a different game, or maybe even do something else

entirely
Being better at the game than one's opponent is precisely the point. If one knows (TRULY knows, not just conjecture) a manner in which sociopathy/etc. can be eliminated from the aggregate consciousness, then by all means. Meanwhile, I will employ methods that allow me to (largely) avoid getting stepped on by those who are want to do so. Further, I will disseminate the techniques I employ with efficacy.

I request that since your position stands in opposition to the use of the 'dark side', and since this thread is about unveiling techniques OF the 'dark side' that you try to stay on point.

We're talking about social interaction, not thermonuclear war. Nice exaggeration tho,....
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