Narcissists are notorious for using many deceptive tactics and certain methods of psychological trickery in order to manipulate their victim(s) into a desired outcome. One such method which many narcissists may employ is to set up a distortion campaign of their victim(s).
A distortion campaign is basically a way of ruining their victim's reputation through covertly abusive techniques such as defamation, slander and character assassination. The victim's reputation is thereby gradually being destroyed in the background, outside of the victim's awareness and without the victim realizing that it is the narcissist doing it.
In some countries, this violation of basic human rights
is actually legally considered to be the same as carrying out an actual physical assassination. Unfortunately, these countries are few and in between. Perhaps if more awareness of narcissistic abuse continues to be created then we may see more countries adopting these laws in the future.Lie While You Tell Me The Truth
Narcissists are well known for lying whilst at the same time telling the truth. That is, the statements they make are fundamentally true but they very craftily and very slyly mix these truths with minor subtle distortions which are barely noticeable in order to give a false impression.
Because the overall statement is true and has only a minor distortion in it, this makes the overall statement more acceptable to those who hear it who will then believe that the entire statement is true, despite the fact that it contains a falsehood. Setting up a distortion campaign is a method of carrying out character assassination by using slander and defamation.
Chinese Whispers
Such a character assassination can have devastating consequences for those who are
victimized in such a way and the consequences can carry on for many years into the future.The 'Chinese whispers' effect can also further these consequences; one person tells another person a rumour which was started, that person goes and tells another and so on until the rumour spreads to numerous people becoming increasingly more distorted along the way.
The Consequences
Whilst victims of such distortion campaigns may be aware that their reputation is being destroyed and may know that rumours about them are circulating, they usually do not know that it is the narcissist in their life who is the source of the problem.
This fact is usually kept a very quiet secret. Once the narcissist has set the ball in motion, they then need do nothing more as it will continue to escalate naturally of it's own accord.
Should a victim discover who is responsible for the distortion campaign and decide to confront them, this then usually only causes further problems as the distortion campaign has already led to other people developing a negative opinion about the victim. They have already been ostracized and it's usually too late to do anything about it.
The people who they may try to turn to for help and/or advice may already believe it's them who is the root of the problem.
