Dehumanization: A Mechanism For Narcissists To Mistreat& Manipulate Others

Dehumanization: A Mechanism For Narcissists To Mistreat& Manipulate Others

Whats Is Dehumanization

Dehumanization as a phenomenon is not new, nor is it exclusive to narcissism - although you could argue that all forms of abuse (including abuse of power) are narcissistic in nature. Dehumanization is exactly what it sounds like: a person or group of people is stripped of their individuality and dehumanization. This makes it easier to justify their mistreatment.

We've talked at length about the way narcissists object to people. That is, they see people as things. Dehumanization usually occurs with reification. It leads to abuse and oppression, both on a large scale and in personal relationships.

Narcissists & Dehumanization

Pathological narcissists classify people as normal; This is their way of relating to the rest of the world and dehumanization usually follows. This is because most pathological narcissists lack empathy. Empathy is the way we communicate with other living things. 

When someone has no empathy or when empathy is affected or unable to adapt, this association does not occur. When we do not have contact with others, it is easy for us to mistreat them because there is no understanding of their feelings.

Narcissists are very smart when carrying out their own mundane actions. As mentioned earlier, they love people who suffer from guilt and remorse. They are using this emotional state as an opportunity to offer another way to crush humanity. This is the infamous method of passive violence. Here, narcissists change their attitude from being a dictator to being a victim. They use this technique to make sure the sufferer doubts their instincts and sense of conscience. Let's say you're engaged in a casual conversation with a narcissist and suddenly find him bursting into tears or blaming you for causing emotional distress. To you, it will look like they are trying to create drama. But there is a hidden purpose. They want you to feel guilty about the way you talk and act. They want to make you regret every word that comes out of your mouth.

They do not pay attention to the human traits that people have. They are blind and stigmatized for any form of human emotion and refuse to recognize them as essential components of a healthy lifestyle. When you try to interact with a narcissist, you will find that they are using you, as if they were using something. They want to strip every sign of positive feelings in you and program your soul into a self-serving machine.

Dehumanization, which goes hand-in-hand with objectification, is the psychological process of depriving another of their humanity and individuality and demonizing them, making them seem less than human and thus not worthy of humane treatment and not deserving of moral consideration. 

Objectification and dehumanization lead to oppression, which is the exercise of authority or power in an unjust or cruel manner. Unfortunately most humans are capable of this deplorable behavior, even if we have normal empathy for others in our own family and social group. This is a significant and ongoing problem–one that you can find innumerable examples of in the news, the upcoming election, in any history book, and perhaps in your own life–but it is not the subject of this blog post, which is about objectification and dehumanization in personal relationships.

Dehumanization is one of eight forms of “moral disengagement” described by the psychologist Albert Bandura. Humans are capable of terrible crimes, and civilization has developed ways to inhibit aggression. However, we have not eliminated violence, in part because of techniques for creating (false) excuses and justifications for immoral behavior. 

All moral disengagement techniques are tricks to get people to accept behaviors that they would otherwise immediately recognize as unethical and unfair. For example, assuming most people are not big fans of child abuse, dehumanization and other moral disengagement strategies are used to trick people into accepting abuse of some children. The manipulators do it to secure power or financial gain.

Dehumanization involves redefining the goals of prejudice and violence by making them appear less human (i.e. less civilized or less conscious) than others. The classic strategy for this is to use terms like "animals" and "insects". Referring to people as "illegitimate" is also a tendency of their humanity. You will see dehumanization at work in most large-scale atrocities or genocides perpetrated by governments, armies or terrorists. The main goal is to get people to accept or even engage in behaviors they know are wrong

People are dehumanized in relationships through objectification, invalidation, domination, control, humiliation, ridicule, disrespecting sexual boundaries, and all other forms of emotional, verbal and physical abuse. To be objectified and dehumanized is to be treated without dignity–the innate rights of a human being to be valued, respected, and to receive ethical treatment. 

Being treated as if we have no human worth lowers our own sense of self-worth. Victims tend to ask themselves what they did to deserve it, or what is wrong with them that would make someone treat them in such a way. In other words, they blame themselves for the abuser’s actions. Objectification and dehumanization says nothing about you or your worth–it is simply the act of a disordered person who lacks empathy.

How should you respond when someone engages in behaviors that dehumanize ?

 If you are being dehumanized and objectified, you need to really understand that this is not only wrong, it's not sustainable. Even if you believe you can somehow take it, it will not last. Eventually you will come up empty. Everybody does. When that happens, there will be no more reason for the narcissistic person to continue on anymore in the situation and they will very likely leave. It's like a vampire.

Some people have more vitality than others but everybody has a limit. Everybody becomes drained eventually. When that happens, the vampire simply moves on to feed on someone else. It's what they do.

• Detach your emotional energy from theirs. It’s easy to get hijacked by someone’s hateful speech. Try to create some space to respond with a neutral but firm tone.
• Don’t accuse them or label them. Telling someone they’re racist/sexist doesn’t often yield positive change. It tends to make them go further into their corner.
• Ask the person to repeat or explain their statement. People will often realize what they said was inappropriate when you call them on it. Considering asking:
• Make eye contact and hold it; and don’t smile or laugh. Sometimes silence speaks louder than words. People need some clear nonverbal signal that what they’re doing is unacceptable and unfunny.
• Use “I” statements and explain the impact their statement has on you.

• Make a clear request for a change in behavior and explain consequences if the behavior does not change.