Alienation of the Symbol from the Myth

The alienation of a symbol from its myth, with the goal of embedding it into a manipulative pseudo-myth and using it to provoke predictable reactions in the target — that is the essence of symbolic control.

Let’s break this down step by step.

1. Imagine there is a myth, and one of its expressions is the image of its main hero — the symbol.

What does the manipulator do in this schema?

First, they identify the symbol to which the target is emotionally sensitive. Suppose it is Christ (as an example only — without any intent to offend anyone’s faith). The manipulator finds the symbolic “trigger.”

2. Next, the manipulator alienates the symbol from the myth behind it.

This refers not to institutional religion, but to the person’s inner myth — their lived spiritual experience: prayers, ethics, suffering, and redemption. The manipulator severs that connection and turns the sacred image into a mere object.

For the manipulator, it becomes just “Object #132, Symbol #21 — ‘Christ.’” A lever that can elicit an emotional, automatic reaction.

3. But random triggering produces chaos. The manipulator needs control — a predictable pattern.

To achieve that, they construct a pseudo-myth around the symbol — partly borrowing from the genuine myth, but contaminating it with parasitic manipulative elements.

Example: “You speak of Christ? He said the prodigal son must return to the father. I am your father — return to me.” In truth, the manipulator distorts the meaning to reassert control, weaponizing the symbol of love and forgiveness.

Thus, the symbol remains familiar — but its soul is gone. It’s enclosed in a dead, synthetic shell — the manipulative pseudo-myth.

4. The goal is to implant that pseudo-myth into the target’s consciousness so that they mistake it for their own truth.

The “self/other” recognition mechanism is exploited: “This is my symbol — therefore, the narrative attached to it must also be mine.” Once this link forms, the manipulation succeeds.

5. Expected reaction:

The target enacts the behavioral pattern prescribed by the pseudo-myth, while the manipulator observes, adjusts, and refines the method. Sometimes the goal is to cause emotional harm — other times, to test influence or obedience.

The same technique can also invert meaning — inserting a beloved symbol into a degrading narrative to cause pain, or a hated one into a glorifying context to provoke disgust. The essence remains: the pseudo-myth replaces the genuine inner myth.

But the scheme has an Achilles’ heel.

It only works on those who lack authentic experience — those who haven’t lived through depth, struggle, and meaning. A person who has truly suffered, reflected, and grown — carries within a compass, a living myth that can’t be replaced by a synthetic one.

Such a person will see the difference between the living and the dead, between real light and artificial glow, between love and simulation. The manipulator breaks against a heart that has known real courage, sacrifice, and self-awareness.

Conclusion: Live fully. Do not flee from pain. Reflect on every step. There is no such thing as “trauma” — only experience, and the way you process it. When you process it honestly, it becomes wisdom; when you don’t, it festers as a wound.

The manipulator’s “voodoo doll” is nothing but a symbolic model of vulnerabilities. The antidote to it is the fullness of lived experience — authenticity. You cannot counterfeit the first true kiss of faith, hope, and love.

The less you live by borrowed myths, the less anyone can program your reactions. Strength and light are not born from the absence of pain — but from an honest gaze into it.