Episode 127: Low Conscience Individuals & Exploiting Vulnerability

How low conscious individuals use vulnerability to their advantage

A small aspect of the population who aren't bothered by guilt, shame and remorse in the ways that most of us are, seek relationships of self opportunity and exploitation.

Many of these individuals thrive just below the line of detection and have worked hard to get their exploitation game refined. There are many elements to these challenging individuals and the way they approach life.

This episode looks at how they seek vulnerability as a doorway to move into our lives and businesses for their own purposes. This may be through detecting or eliciting emotional vulnerability or through situational vulnerability where life circumstances have left us exposed in some way.

There are many amazing people working and studying in the area of Low Conscience Individuals but I wanted to acknowledge in particular Sandra Brown and Jennifier Young who have written the excellent book 'Women who love Psychopaths". I hope you find this episode informative.

Episode 124: Low Conscience Individuals & Social Hiding

Understanding the exploitation tactics of low conscience individuals

There is a small percentage of the population that are not influenced as much as the rest of us by guilt, shame, anxiety, behaviourally appropriate boundaries, remorse and excessive empathy. 

Whilst they are small in number if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself entangled with them in a business or personal dynamic of significance then the damage can be great. Unlike in the movies where, as an audience member, it is made clear or clarity develops as to motives of exploitation of certain individuals, real life isn't that way.

Those that are seeking relationships of exploitation rely on a number of strategies to keep that hidden.

This episode looks at some of the ways in which these individuals exploit, strategise, misdirect and charm their ways into our lives and businesses sometimes with devastating consequences.

Episode 72: Insights Into Gaslighting

Understanding the manipulative strategies of gaslighting

Gaslighting, deliberately influencing another's perception of reality for advantage takes many forms.

This is a vast topic with many ways to keep someone in the dark, misinformed, defensive and off balance. Episode 72 looks at some of the strategies that are employed to exploit people. Through understanding and greater recognition, we aren't left as vulnerable to being taken advantage of. Some exploiters have greater elegance and facility than others and can use a number of these tactics together in order to create for themselves the impression they want to foster.

There are individuals who have no issue employing whatever tactics allow them to impression manage, take advantage, misdirect and avoid taking responsibility for poor behaviour.

I hope this episode helps to raise awareness.

Episode 64: Toxic Behaviour and Antisocial Empathy

How empathy can be used for exploitation and cruelty

Trigger Warning! You may find the content of this Episode confronting to hear, so listener discretion advised.

Empathy is a survival skill. Having awareness of the feelings of others can be really helpful for keeping oneself alive. However, there is mostly a focus on prosocial empathy where I am aware of your feelings and respond to them in a sympathetic manner. Antisocial empathy is a different kettle of fish altogether.

If I am to deliberately exploit you then it stands to reason that I must be able to track to some degree the way you are thinking and feeling. The more empathy I have the greater my compassion can be or on the flip side my cruelty. 

I have always tended to assume the best in others and that has made me highly vulnerable at times to being exploited both personally and professionally. Dr David Schnarch explains antisocial empathy and some of what is now being discovered in the latest research in his amazing book Brain Talk. This episode is inspired by his work. 

Correction in Episode: Robert Titchener - American Psychologist coined the word Empathy in 1909.

When we can see the reality of an experience, even if it is hard to face, we can truly heal!