Manipulate

I saw this all the time in politics

When I was working

In the political, uh, sector

Inevitably

As soon as you start doing well

The word ‘manipulative’

Starts getting thrown around

And I understood that

And didn’t understand that

All at the same time

It’s meant to be an insult

You’re manipulative

But at the same time

It was one of those things

Where I was just like--

Well, doesn’t everybody do it?

The minute you’re born

People start manipulating you

Your parents manipulate you

By giving you toys

And teaching you about Santa

And telling you that if you’re good

Santa will bring you toys

All that’s manipulation

And somehow

When it’s about kids

Or geared at kids

It’s okay

Provided you’re their parents

Because if you manipulate

The children of strangers

You’re a goddamn pedophile

But aside from all that, uh--

You grow up

And you get manipulated

All the time

I mean, it happens

All the time

And most of us don’t care

Because we understand

That the world works in a way where--

Where people want things from us

And we want things from people

And there’s a give-and-take

And because that give-and-take

Can be, at times, a little uncomfortable

We disguise it

That we’re doing it

With manipulation

And so, it became pretty, uh,

Obvious to me

That people only ever

Trotted out the word

Manipulation

When somebody got them to do something

That they didn’t want to do

Even though they only figured out

That they didn’t want to do it

After they had already done it

They got conned

And, okay, let’s use that word

Let’s go with that

Conned

People hate being made to feel stupid

And I get that

Believe me, I do

But the solution isn’t to go around

Telling people that it’s their fault

You’re so fucking stupid

And how could they take advantage of that?

The solution is--

Get smarter

Read a book

Don’t be so trusting

I mean--it seems cut and dry to me

It is the responsibility of no one

To make sure

That you’re not giving

More than you’re getting

That is your job

Not, like, profession

Like, your job as a human being

On this planet

People talk about--

Not liking the rat race?

Well, well, whether you like it or not

You’re in it

So manipulate

Or be manipulated

But don’t make those of us

Who are in the race

Feel bad

When we hit the gas pedal

That is just--unfair

Words people use

To take shots at-at-at--

At winners

Really

That’s what that is

That’s all

It is