Gaslighting & Truth

Gaslighting and the Nature of Truth

Characters

Person A : Abuser 

Person B : Bearer

Person C : Conformist

Person D : Detective 

1. The Incident

• Person A eats Person B’s flapjack.

• Person B notices and complains.

• Person A denies the existence of the flapjack entirely, insisting Person B is imagining things.

• Person C, a third-party observer, states they did not see a flapjack.

• Person A and Person C agree: Person B is delusional.

2. Two Possible Realities

• Possibility One: There never was a flapjack - Person B is genuinely mistaken.

• Possibility Two: There was a flapjack - Person A is lying to manipulate Person B’s perception.

3. Consequences of Gaslighting

• If Person B resists the manipulation

• They call Person A out for being a manipulator.

• Person C remains a neutral party but lacks enough information to determine the truth.

• Person C’s opinion is irrelevant to establishing reality but holds social weight - aligning with A or B affects power dynamics rather than truth.

• If Person B submits to the manipulation

• They doubt their own memory and decide they must have been wrong.

• They surrender their original stance to maintain social peace.

• However, in doing so, they enter a state of delusion themselves, as they now hold a false belief - either believing in the nonexistence of the flapjack or accepting A’s authority over truth.

4. The Revelation of Objective Truth

• Later, Person D discovers flapjack crumbs on Person A’s clothes - material evidence that the flapjack did exist and that Person A ate it.

• This serves as scientific proof, validating the reality that had been socially denied.

Core Themes

• Gaslighting as a power play: Person A manipulates perception to avoid accountability.

• The fragility of memory: Person B is forced to choose between truth and social harmony.

• The unreliability of third-party judgment: Person C’s stance affects social dynamics but does not determine truth.

• Objective truth vs. subjective reality: Person D’s discovery reaffirms that truth exists independently of belief, but it requires evidence to be recognized.

Analysis of Core Themes and Topics

This scenario revolves around gaslighting, social manipulation, and the nature of truth. The core themes include:

1. Gaslighting and Psychological Manipulation

• Person A actively denies reality to control the perception of Person B.

• Person C, as an outsider, is manipulated into reinforcing Person A’s narrative.

• Person B is forced into self-doubt or defiance, neither of which lead to a comfortable resolution.

2. Social Alliances and Power Dynamics

• Person C’s role illustrates how third parties are often swayed by social influence rather than evidence.

• Truth becomes secondary to social cohesion and personal biases.

• Even when scientific evidence (crumbs on Person A’s clothes) emerges, social damage has already occurred.

3. Subjective vs. Objective Reality

• The contrast between perception, social agreement, and material evidence (the crumbs).

• Person B’s struggle highlights the existential weight of being the only one standing by the truth.

• Truth is often determined socially rather than logically, making it a battleground of manipulation.

4. Consequences of Gaslighting

• If Person B resists, they are cast as irrational or aggressive.

• If Person B submits, they lose trust in their own perception, becoming dependent on external validation.

• Even when evidence emerges, the initial social power struggle has lasting consequences.

Gaslighting And Delusion 

1. The Relationship Between Delusion and the Pattern in the Original Manuscript

In the given pattern, delusion is not confined to a single character but is a shared phenomenon, with the exception of Person D, who represents absolute Truth. The dynamic explores two competing worldviews:

• One camp believes Truth is superior because it is accurate and objective.

• The other camp believes Truth is irrelevant or mutable, shaped by perception and social consensus.

Each character (except Person D) experiences delusion in a different form:

• Person A (Manipulator) - Strategic Delusion

• Consciously creates an alternate reality to control others.

• Believes (or convinces themselves) that perception overrides objective reality.

• Uses gaslighting as a tool to enforce their version of reality.

• Their delusion is a form of self-serving deception—not a lack of awareness but a manipulation of others’ awareness.

• Person B (Target) - Induced Delusion (Unless Resisting)

• Starts with an accurate perception of reality.

• As doubt is introduced, they risk falling into a state of delusion—one where they disbelieve their own experience.

• If they submit, they adopt a false belief system (delusion by coercion).

• If they resist, they avoid delusion but face social and psychological pressure.

• Person C (Bystander) - Socially Conformist Delusion

• Does not have direct knowledge but chooses to align with the dominant narrative (A’s version of events).

• Their delusion stems from believing social harmony or authority over truth.

• They accept that truth is flexible, which itself is a form of detachment from objective reality.

• Their belief is not a conscious manipulation like A’s but a willful ignorance to maintain stability.

• Person D (Absolute Truth) - The Observer and the Evidence

• Represents objective reality, unaltered by social perception.

• The existence of flapjack crumbs is a material fact, unaffected by A, B, or C’s beliefs.

• Truth, in this framework, is not about belief but about what actually exists.

2. Dictionary Definition of ‘Delusional’

Causative (The Cause of Delusion)

Delusional (adj.): Actively or passively engaging in a false belief system, either through self-deception, manipulation, or adherence to an altered perception of reality.

Example: He was delusional in thinking he could control reality simply by denying the facts.

State of Being (Effect of Delusion)

Delusional (adj.): In a state of false belief, often due to external manipulation, social conformity, or self-imposed perception shifts.

Example: She became delusional after repeated insistence that her memories were wrong.

3. Blueprint for the Dynamic (Including Delusional States)

Core Structure of the Gaslighting Pattern

Stage 1: Reality Exists (The Initial State)

• Person B observes a material truth (the existence of the flapjack).

• Person A takes an action to contradict reality (eats the flapjack but denies it).

Stage 2: The Contest of Perception Begins

• Person B asserts the truth based on their memory.

• Person A denies it aggressively and reframes the situation:

• “It never existed.”

• “You imagined it.”

• “You always do this.”

• Person C (the bystander) is brought in as a third-party validator.

Stage 3: Delusional States Manifest

• Person A (Manipulator) - Strategic Delusion

• Either fully convinces themselves their lie is true, or

• Knows they are lying but justifies it as a social maneuver.

• Person C (Bystander) - Socially Conformist Delusion

• Defaults to believing the more socially dominant figure (Person A).

• Reinforces A’s narrative, making B feel isolated.

• Person B (Target) - Induced Delusion (Unless Resisting)

• Begins questioning their own memory.

• Must choose between asserting truth (conflict) or submitting (internalized delusion).

Stage 4: Truth vs. Social Reality (Power Struggle)

• If Person B resists:

• They maintain sanity but face social alienation.

• A and C call them “irrational” or “paranoid.”

• If Person B submits:

• They enter a state of delusion, discarding reality to align with social consensus.

• Internal distress manifests as cognitive dissonance, potential self-doubt, or future breakdown.

Stage 5: The Objective Truth Surfaces

• Person D (or evidence) exposes the reality (e.g., crumbs on A’s clothes).

• This represents the inviolability of material truth, even if socially contested.

Analysis of Delusional States

Character Delusional State Cause of Delusion Effect of Delusion

A (Manipulator) Strategic Delusion Control, power, gaslighting Reality distortion, social dominance

B (Target - If Submissive) Induced Delusion Psychological pressure, repeated denial Loss of self-trust, cognitive dissonance

C (Bystander) Socially Conformist Delusion Fear of conflict, herd mentality Reinforces false reality, maintains social peace

D (Truth) Non-Delusional Objective evidence, material reality Represents reality, unaffected by perception

Key Takeaways from the Blueprint

• Delusion is not always self-deception; it can be a social tool.

• The more socially dominant a false belief is, the harder it is to challenge.

• Truth is often dismissed not because it is wrong, but because it is inconvenient.

• Delusion can be caused by manipulation (A), submission (B), or conformity (C).

• Truth (D) exists independently but requires evidence to be acknowledged.

This pattern applies beyond personal disputes and can be seen in politics, media control, cult psychology, and historical revisionism—anywhere truth is contested by perception.