Is It Unethical To Manipulate People?

Young Apprentice; Is it wrong to manipulate people?

Rich Old Bastard; It depends.

Y.A.; You say that all the time. “It depends.” Why can’t you just say “yes” or “no” and be done with it?

R.O.B.; That “yes or no” way of thinking is much too simplistic. We live in a complex world. Few things are either black or white, most are shades of grey. Weather or not it’s wrong to manipulate is in one of those grey areas, so it depends.

Y.A.; Okay, so what does it depend on?

R.O.B.; It mostly depends on what you are trying to manipulate the other person or group into doing.

Y.A.; So would it be wrong to manipulate someone into buying something?

R.O.B.; It depends.

Y.A.; Again with that?!

R.O.B.; If you are selling someone a beneficial product that the person needs, like insurance, to provide for his wife and children in the event of disability or death for example, and he is resisting because he does not know he needs it, or does not believe he will ever die and would rather squander his money on crack cocaine and you could use manipulation to get him to make the right decision, then by all means manipulation is good. If, on the other hand, you use manipulation to sell him stocks in a company that you know is a Ponzi scheme, and is going to be put out of business by the FTC tomorrow, then it’s probably not.

Y.A.; I see. It’s not the manipulation itself that is right or wrong, it is how it is used and for what purpose.

R.O.B.; Correct. Manipulation is simply a tool. It’s very difficult to get people (even ourselves) to take some necessary action by simply explaining to them why they should or should not do a certain thing. In order to help someone to take the needed action (or stop acting in a harmful way), some form of manipulation must be used or the person will do nothing. Have you seen these “anti-smoking” advertisements they have been airing on TV for the last couple of years?

Y.A.; You mean the ones with the cancer victims? Those are so gross! I wish they would stop running them, they make me sick.

R.O.B.; Those ads are a perfect example of manipulation. If they just told you “don’t smoke or you will get cancer” the ads would not have any impact, but by making them gross with actual cancer patients, they manipulate the audience’s emotions and are much more effective.

Y.A.; Then manipulation is good if it benefits the person being manipulated.

R.O.B.; I Can’t argue with that logic.

Y.A.; By the way, did you hear about my new job?

R.O.B.; No. What kind of job did you get?

Y.A.; I am glad you asked! I am selling life insurance. Have you thought about what would happen to your loved ones if you were to suddenly croak tomorrow? Who would take care of them? Would they be thrown out of your home and into the street? Would they be forced to turn to crime to make ends meet? Would they…

R.O.B.; Oh, crap.

(NOTE; For more information on the topic of manipulation, click on the page “How To Manipulate People” in the column on the right.)