Thinking too much? Create emotional drama, so that the victim thinks about made up problems instead.
Especially this. A refinement: create an atmosphere of “honesty” (which caches out as perverse openness for thee, but not for me). Use your perverse openness to track when you are going down paths that might end in you breaking away. Selectively create drama and ultimatums and loyalty tests in those cases, which is more precisely targeted than just thinking too much. (This may sound crazy but it actually happens. See e.g. NXIVM; if you don’t tell all your thoughts to Keith Raniere, you’re resisting / in ethical breach / etc.)
Great comment.
Especially this. A refinement: create an atmosphere of “honesty” (which caches out as perverse openness for thee, but not for me). Use your perverse openness to track when you are going down paths that might end in you breaking away. Selectively create drama and ultimatums and loyalty tests in those cases, which is more precisely targeted than just thinking too much. (This may sound crazy but it actually happens. See e.g. NXIVM; if you don’t tell all your thoughts to Keith Raniere, you’re resisting / in ethical breach / etc.)