Glamour Powers: "Rape" or not?

I think there is kind of a difference between manipulating someone in the normal social interaction way, and in a fantasy magic reach-right-into-their-head way. For one thing, you can see the normal way coming and take steps to prevent it.

@Loni: Gotta disagree with you there. Sure, the playing field is level but throwing a professional athlete on that selfsame field with a newbie isn't exactly fair either, is it?

Yeah. I'm a marketing major, and if there's one thing that I learned from it, it's that the more steps you take to "prevent" being manipulated, the easier you are to manipulate. The easiest people to control are the people who think they're immune to it.

I'm still not convinced that makes it exactly the same as mind control. Of course, mind control in the sense this thread is about doesn't exist, so it's a bit difficult to judge.

Plus, the thread is about sex, which is something that has tricky ethical meanings in it anyway regarding consent, etc.

@King: Harsh but true.

@Loni: Where "honest persuasion" stops and "manipulation" begins is, I think, a better thing to discuss. However, its one of those discussions where there isn't a right answer beyond "don't be a dick".

Umm... TL;DR for the most part, just adding a little ramble about the OP:

If it's part of my natural design to possess a power that makes me more attractive, does that not mean that I actually AM that attractive? IOW, what difference does it make whether my attractiveness stems from my beauty, my intellect, or some mystical power?

edited 24th Feb '11 3:15:50 AM by vijeno

the more steps you take to "prevent" being manipulated, the easier you are to manipulate. The easiest people to control are the people who think they're immune to it.

It seems to me that those are two entirely different things. I am taking steps to prevent being manipulated (like learning a lot about manipulation, psychology, trance etc.), and of course it helps me not get manipulated as much as I used to, but I'm absolutely sure I'm not immune at all.

Like, I remember when a communication trainer shut me up by sending me into a trance a few years ago, and he'd have a hard time doing that now because by now I just know what he did there, and my awareness of my own inner states has grown a lot. And on the other hand, I know a few things that will shut me up, and I'm working on them.

I think what we've all learned from this whole thread, is that if you're too sexy, it's rape.

edited 24th Feb '11 4:44:37 AM by Ukonkivi

The point is, when you take steps to learn how not to be manipulated, it makes you confident that you can recognize those patterns of manipulation. However, it also blinds you to other patterns you may or may not be familiar with. You might find yourself thinking, "I know I'm not being manipulated because X person isn't doing A," when in fact, X person could be doing "B".

edited 24th Feb '11 9:34:44 AM by KingZeal

On the subject of the last post on the previous page:I heard that there's a company (can't remember what company it is... Sony, I think?) that actually hires women to pretend to be unaffiliated, find random men, date them, and sell hihg-priced products to them as though they were honest, personal recommendations.