Out of Control (51/90)

Today was Father's Day. My father's in Maryland, so we didn't celebrate. I hung out with Bill.

And I read more Harry Potter. Oh did I read. And I have another quote for tonight. "Decent people are so easy to manipulate, Potter." Mad-Eye Moody/Barty Crouch Jr. Goblet of Fire page 676, American version. Crouch was referring to Cedric Diggory, and how he helped him through the tasks to make sure Harry got through everything. It struck a chord with me, because I know it to be true.

I've been manipulated in my past, on several occasions. I know this, and yet it keeps happening. I think I'm a decent person; I forgive, I don't get revenge, I keep my word, I'm loyal, etc. And I'm trusting. I trust that everyone means what they say, unless there's some reason not to. That's how I got manipulated big time the first time. I trusted him and his word, never thinking all he wanted to do was manipulate me to get his way.

But even after that, I still get manipulated. I think someone's trying to again, maybe even two, three, or four someones. I'm not sure yet. You see, I have a bit of a problem with seeing a manipulator in the moment. Usually I can see them after the fact, and I think it's the same way with a lot of decent people.

I know a lot of other friends have been manipulated, but to a lesser extent. The thing is, they realize it halfway through and save themselves. I don't. And I know why decent people are easy to manipulate; it's because we trust that everyone else is a decent person. We trust people, and want to make sure that everyone else gets a fair shake of things.

But we know that everyone's not a decent person. We don't take precautions against someone who doesn't seem too bad at first glance. It's only until it's obvious that we're getting manipulated that we figure it out, and even then it's hard to (at least for me). People take advantage of us for being some of the good people in the world, only to further their agenda, and it angers me.

Those who manipulate decent people purely for selfish reasons, especially those that hurt the decent ones, should feel ashamed of themselves. Generally speaking, though, they don't. Maybe it goes back to my post about guilt, and how some people don't have any. I'm not sure. I just wish decent people weren't so easy to manipulate, and weren't so often the targets of manipulation.

And to combat this, I'm being overcautious. We'll see what happens.