That’s common in cases such as yours, where what you say isn’t what you mean but rather dissembling in an attempt to dupe your interlocutor. You don’t mean any of it … so, it isn’t a case of knowing what you mean better than you yourself but of recognising that it’s simply bullshit — you might as well say “Squirrel!” and point out of the window for all any of it means.

In fact, you’re doing it now … so obviously attempting to gaslight me by accusing me of that same technique that, if it weren’t so risibly transparent, I’d be insulted.

You don’t imagine, do you, that I haven’t noticed your remarkable ability to get inside others heads and understand what makes them tick? You’re particularly good at understanding others’ psychological and emotional motivation and, whilst you have that in common with the empathetic, your capacity for forensically dissecting people and understanding how they work … what motivates them and why … gives the lie to the idea that you are capable of experiencing any of those motivations yourself. You are notably non-judgemental of the characters you portray in your writing … undoubtedly the result of dispassionately observing the human race … and that degree of detachment is characteristic of Antisocial Personality Disorder.

So, I suspect the only couch you and I would be likely to share is the one you’d tied me to before subjecting me to some unspeakable depravity … or the one I’d have you securely strapped to whilst administering the requisite dose of Thorazine before having the orderlies return you to your padded cell.

Me gaslighting you?

Ha!

Nice¹ try … but no cigar, I’m afraid — I’m a psychologist, remember … engaged, what’s more, for my knowledge in this very area in particular and wise to the ways of the likes of you and your ilk.

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¹ By which I mean ‘pathetically obvious’, naturally.