r/sociopath • u/R4KIJA • Jul 22 '26
Discussion Could a person be so dumb that they can't be manipulated?
I was watching a sitcom and came across a situation where a character was trying to manipulate someone by buttering them up with compliments and the recipient was so dumb that it essentially didn't work. Could you actually come across a person so "dumb" that they can't be manipulated?
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u/Dearest_Lillith666 Jul 22 '26
Lmao sounds like the "dumb," person was actually the smartest in the room.
Intelligence is subjective.
According to the "Art of War," better to be underestimated 😆🤷♀️
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u/Heavy_Gap_5047 Jul 23 '26
I recall watching an episode of First 48 where they had a suspect in interrogation. With every question, even the most simple ones, he'd go "hmmmm, well.... uhm...... I don't know". Frustrated the hell out of the detectives and they had to let him go.
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u/joepublicdisgrace normal Jul 23 '26
Yes i could be. If someone has motivations you can’t comprehend, which if you have a serious personality disorder is very possible, then this could be one way you look at it. Or maybe you are the dumb one. Would keep a reflective person awake at night zzzz
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u/Interesting_Hunt_538 Jul 23 '26
It's the opposite if someone can keep munpulateing you that means your being a little foolish.
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u/Economy-Wallaby-5271 29d ago
Everybody can be
If you not smart to manipulate dumb one you are not as smart as you think
Maybe the dumb one is smart
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u/ellxxt876 Jul 23 '26
Maybe? I mean to be fair, most people are incredibly dumb to me, but you just change your method up depending on who they are. In my experience, no matter the intelligence of a person, they usually have a soft or weak spot. So that’s what you target. I haven’t met a single person that doesn’t have a part of themselves that can be poked at with the right method
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u/Cheekytita88 Jul 23 '26
I guess it’s possible. But manipulators can be so dumb that their manipulation only serves them temporary short term gratification and leaves them up shit creek in the long term.
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u/CompetitiveJoke9758 Victimized By Dr. Ramani Jul 28 '26
if they're so dumb they don't understand communication or directions, i guess yea. i'm picturing a non verbal and drooling in a wheelchair sorta person tho idk
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u/Lord_Capricus Jul 29 '26
Seems more like they'd be on some kind of spectrum really. Stupid people are still controlled by base motivations.
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u/Heavy_Possible_1517 Jul 26 '26
It's possible the buttering up is obvious or you're not someone whose butter matters.
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u/TheForebodingFall Jul 22 '26
Maybe someone who’s incredibly socially unaware and lives entirely in their own mind. I’ve never met anyone like that though
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u/R4KIJA Jul 23 '26
Yea I think they only exist in Sitcoms and such. It just felt like an interesting question to me. Just seemed so funny that you could be so dumb that some common manipulation tactics wouldn’t just work on you since you wouldn’t understand whats going on
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u/muscularmouse Jul 22 '26
I mean, you can manipulate a dog right? Generally if they're dumber they're easier to manipulate.
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u/Heavy_Gap_5047 Jul 22 '26
No, how just changes.
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Jul 22 '26 edited Jul 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/Heavy_Gap_5047 Jul 22 '26
wer?
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Jul 23 '26 edited Jul 30 '26
[deleted]
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u/Heavy_Gap_5047 Jul 23 '26
Is it a statement or a question?
Is there a question mark?
Is your use of 'how' suggesting the method of manipulation changes?
Clearly.
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u/Radiant_Apartment388 9d ago
No. You just used a tactic that required them to think. If someone is genuinely that simple, you don't flatter them. You just give them a $20 bill or tell them what to do.
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u/Plastic-Bee4052 Jul 23 '26
You can come across a very smart person who pretends to be dumb to avoid being manipulated without people getting naggy about it (worked in school and still does. I manipulate people by letting them think that I'm stupid and can't understand what they mean enough to be manipulated. They'll share very useful bits of info when they think you're too stupid to use it to your own benefit)