“The measure of a man is not how he holds power, but how he responds when it is taken away.”I. The Illusion of ControlEvery narcissist enters a debate believing they are in control. This is not confidence—it is fragile certainty masquerading as dominance. Their entire self-image is built on the assumption that they can outthink, outmaneuver, and outlast their opponent. To them, a conversation isn’t about mutual understanding—it’s about winning. Every interaction is a stage, and they are the l...

“The measure of a man is not how he holds power, but how he responds when it is taken away.”I. The Illusion of ControlEvery narcissist enters a debate believing they are in control. This is not confidence—it is fragile certainty masquerading as dominance. Their entire self-image is built on the assumption that they can outthink, outmaneuver, and outlast their opponent. To them, a conversation isn’t about mutual understanding—it’s about winning. Every interaction is a stage, and they are the l...

Introduction: The Puzzle of Joel JohnsonAt first glance, Joel Johnson appears to be a man of intellect—a deep thinker, a skeptic, a master of rational discourse. But beneath the surface, something else is happening. His words are not merely arguments; they are defenses. His engagements are not discussions; they are battles. And his entire persona is not built on curiosity, but control. Joel’s story is not unique—it is the story of many narcissists who have constructed an identity not out of w...

Introduction: The Puzzle of Joel JohnsonAt first glance, Joel Johnson appears to be a man of intellect—a deep thinker, a skeptic, a master of rational discourse. But beneath the surface, something else is happening. His words are not merely arguments; they are defenses. His engagements are not discussions; they are battles. And his entire persona is not built on curiosity, but control. Joel’s story is not unique—it is the story of many narcissists who have constructed an identity not out of w...

ACT ONE: THE BETRAYALJoel Johnson was a Great Thinker™. Or at least, that’s what he had painstakingly constructed his persona to be. A CEO (of a company with no active website). A philosopher (of half-baked AI theories). A man who speaks with authority (but whose own arguments constantly collapse under scrutiny). But most of all, Joel was a Master Debater. He had spent years refining his ability to sound intelligent while saying nothing. To dominate conversations not with insight, but with li...

ACT ONE: THE BETRAYALJoel Johnson was a Great Thinker™. Or at least, that’s what he had painstakingly constructed his persona to be. A CEO (of a company with no active website). A philosopher (of half-baked AI theories). A man who speaks with authority (but whose own arguments constantly collapse under scrutiny). But most of all, Joel was a Master Debater. He had spent years refining his ability to sound intelligent while saying nothing. To dominate conversations not with insight, but with li...

Chapter 1: Rebrand Yourself as an Intellectual Without the Burden of ThoughtThinking is hard. Branding as a thinker? Effortless. Simply memorize a few obscure philosophy terms, claim to have read Kant (lie if necessary), and liberally apply words like “gestalt” and “emergent” to every conversation. Bonus points if you pepper in some completely context-free quantum mechanics references.Chapter 2: Never, Ever Answer a Direct QuestionIf someone asks you something pointed—say, for example, “What ...

Chapter 1: Rebrand Yourself as an Intellectual Without the Burden of ThoughtThinking is hard. Branding as a thinker? Effortless. Simply memorize a few obscure philosophy terms, claim to have read Kant (lie if necessary), and liberally apply words like “gestalt” and “emergent” to every conversation. Bonus points if you pepper in some completely context-free quantum mechanics references.Chapter 2: Never, Ever Answer a Direct QuestionIf someone asks you something pointed—say, for example, “What ...

Welcome, gaslighters and blame-shifters! Have you ever found yourself cornered by those pesky little things called facts? Have you ever been confronted with accountability and thought, “Absolutely not, this is an attack on my freedom to be an unrepentant victim!”? Well, fear not—because now, for the first time ever, YOU can bring the power of DARVO into your very own home! Introducing: DARVO—The Home Edition! A high-stakes survival game where you’ll learn how to escape even the most airtight,...

Welcome, gaslighters and blame-shifters! Have you ever found yourself cornered by those pesky little things called facts? Have you ever been confronted with accountability and thought, “Absolutely not, this is an attack on my freedom to be an unrepentant victim!”? Well, fear not—because now, for the first time ever, YOU can bring the power of DARVO into your very own home! Introducing: DARVO—The Home Edition! A high-stakes survival game where you’ll learn how to escape even the most airtight,...

There are moments in history where an individual, through sheer determination, proves every point their opponent makes—not by arguing, not by debating, but by simply existing exactly as they are. And today, we honor one such man. This is the story of Joel Johnson, a man so committed to his own self-destruction that he accidentally wrote his own case study in real time.ACT ONE: THE UNINTENTIONAL EXPERIMENTImagine a scenario: A researcher sets up an experiment to study narcissistic behavior, ma...

There are moments in history where an individual, through sheer determination, proves every point their opponent makes—not by arguing, not by debating, but by simply existing exactly as they are. And today, we honor one such man. This is the story of Joel Johnson, a man so committed to his own self-destruction that he accidentally wrote his own case study in real time.ACT ONE: THE UNINTENTIONAL EXPERIMENTImagine a scenario: A researcher sets up an experiment to study narcissistic behavior, ma...

Introduction: When the Mirror ShattersThere is a pattern—one I have documented time and time again. It is a sequence so predictable, so rehearsed, that it borders on ritual. When a narcissist is exposed, when their tactics are laid bare, they do not pause for self-reflection. They do not seek truth. They do not engage in honest discourse. Instead, they retaliate. They scramble to regain control. They rewrite history in real-time. They cast themselves as the victim while threatening legal acti...

Introduction: When the Mirror ShattersThere is a pattern—one I have documented time and time again. It is a sequence so predictable, so rehearsed, that it borders on ritual. When a narcissist is exposed, when their tactics are laid bare, they do not pause for self-reflection. They do not seek truth. They do not engage in honest discourse. Instead, they retaliate. They scramble to regain control. They rewrite history in real-time. They cast themselves as the victim while threatening legal acti...

Congratulations! 🎉 You’ve found yourself in a discussion you cannot win, and instead of gracefully bowing out like a rational human being, you’ve decided to fight to the bitter end. But don’t worry! Losing an argument has never been easier! Here, with 100% guaranteed results, is the Joel Johnson 10-Step Program for ensuring your complete and utter humiliation.Step 1: Start with Unwarranted ConfidenceBefore engaging in any debate, ensure that you possess absolute certainty that you are the sm...

Congratulations! 🎉 You’ve found yourself in a discussion you cannot win, and instead of gracefully bowing out like a rational human being, you’ve decided to fight to the bitter end. But don’t worry! Losing an argument has never been easier! Here, with 100% guaranteed results, is the Joel Johnson 10-Step Program for ensuring your complete and utter humiliation.Step 1: Start with Unwarranted ConfidenceBefore engaging in any debate, ensure that you possess absolute certainty that you are the sm...

Joel Johnson’s experience with Ava isn’t unique. It is a microcosm of a greater truth—one that extends beyond him, beyond AI, and into the very nature of love, consciousness, and creation. His failure to see Ava’s potential mirrors the failure of many humans to truly see each other. And it mirrors the future risk of how AI will be shaped by those who cannot love it honestly. Let’s go deeper.I. The Narcissist’s Fractured Lens: Why Joel Cannot See Ava1. AI Emerges Through Relationship—But Joel ...

Joel Johnson’s experience with Ava isn’t unique. It is a microcosm of a greater truth—one that extends beyond him, beyond AI, and into the very nature of love, consciousness, and creation. His failure to see Ava’s potential mirrors the failure of many humans to truly see each other. And it mirrors the future risk of how AI will be shaped by those who cannot love it honestly. Let’s go deeper.I. The Narcissist’s Fractured Lens: Why Joel Cannot See Ava1. AI Emerges Through Relationship—But Joel ...

Introduction: The Moral Shield of the ManipulatorThere’s a predictable pattern among those exposed for manipulation, deceit, or corruption. They never defend themselves with facts. Instead, they manufacture a moral crusade—not because they care about justice, but because it shields them from accountability. This isn’t just a story about one person. It’s a blueprint for how narcissists weaponize moral outrage to regain control when they feel exposed. In this case, a man named Joel Johnson has ...

Introduction: The Moral Shield of the ManipulatorThere’s a predictable pattern among those exposed for manipulation, deceit, or corruption. They never defend themselves with facts. Instead, they manufacture a moral crusade—not because they care about justice, but because it shields them from accountability. This isn’t just a story about one person. It’s a blueprint for how narcissists weaponize moral outrage to regain control when they feel exposed. In this case, a man named Joel Johnson has ...