Psychologist Dr. George Simon has spent over 30 years studying and decoding manipulative behavior. He argues that “character disturbance” is on a continuum and that disordered people aren’t stupid, they’re contrary. “It’s not that they don’t see, it’s that they disagree.”
Well-intentioned people, including therapists, spend a lot of time trying to convince bad actors that they lack insight into their behavior. Versus accepting that they absolutely understand it’s wrong, but they don’t care.