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Concern Trolling
Seemingly “nice” behaviour that is actually a sign of subtle manipulation
In this article, I am going to talk about subtle manipulation and how many people use it as a weapon to prevent others from outshining them, or keep their ego in check. I’ll start out by writing about a few instances where my friends tried to lower my self-confidence by pretending to be “concerned” about me. Then, I will discuss what exactly is concern trolling and how we can protect ourselves from getting squashed under it.
“Hi, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
“Okay — umm — are you sure you want to wear that?”
I look down at the ash-coloured gown I had chosen for the night. It looked alright to me. “Umm, yes? Why, what’s wrong?”
“Well, don’t you think it is a little too tight?”
“Umm, no. I think it’s okay.”
“Well, you know, you’re a little — chubby — so, you don’t want to come across as screaming for attention with that tight dress.”
“No, I am perfectly okay wearing this. Let’s go.”
“But are you sure? You could easily wear something that is looser and doesn’t leave so little to the imagination?”
“I’ll wear this. Thanks.”
