The Narcissist’s Playbook
38 thoughts on “The Narcissist’s Playbook”
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I don’t trust Rachel Even Green or whatever her name is. I mean, I’m not saying Marilyn Manson is an innocent bystander. There is just something performitive about her. Something inauthentic that I can’t put my finger on. She describes narcissistic abuse perfectly. But I feel like she might a narcissist too. I could be totally wrong but she just doesn’t sit right with me.
You are not the only person who has such a suspicion about her.
Ugh! I just listened to the podcast too! That was incredibly hard to do. I had to pause it several times.
Vaknin is a piece of a shit!
I hope you’re one of the ones who helps take him down, Mr. Tudor!
Hi Leigh:
I really enjoy Isla. I think she is a great professional. I did not like Narcissism Playback at all. I have watched Vicente and the podcast with Isla and Sam. First, over a decade ago, I never liked Sam. He always struck me wrong and long ago I looked him up surprise surprise he was a con who went to prison in Israel. Sometimes I would watch a clip but he pissed me off always as he lashed out at HG saying empaths don’t exist and they are narcissists or psychopaths. He ended me saying Jesus was a narcissist. And let’s dig deeper. Sam always blames the mother creating narcissism. HG says unstable home. As there is ample evidence in this works that a dad can abuse a child and cause narcissism. Sam says its80% the mother’s fault. Sam calls his own mother her in the film a “ murderous mother.” He hates his mother. And I think this con man who has been jailed for financial fraud, has his own personal trauma addenda to deal with. Listening and reading about neuroscientists, we all know the psychopath brain is different. I personally believe Ted Bundy was born that way as no direct evidence of abuse. Narcs, BOD they show some brain differences but not enough to say born this way. A violent or neglectful childhood will effect brain development considering the brain grows until 21? But why do twins from the same household differ? Playbook addresses Lee and his brother. One empath.The other narc. I think HG classifies learned behavior of abuse. It’s learned not just born. HG Excels at this. But the origins and extent, I think might be dna/biological and no one knows. Sam is annoying as he speaks of the cause and motives of narcissism and psychopathy as if he alone knows. I think he is a con artist and just uses his own experiences which he sells psychology but he has no degree. The only helpful piece of advice I got out of the podcast and even Sam…. It takes one person, one stable person to reach a child and change their life, be that person if you have a chance. I give anonymous presents to children, any interaction is to build ego and safety. If a child is hungry, get food. If you suspect wrongdoing so many numbers from the police to suspected trafficking. One person is all it takes, be that person. There is never enough advice to protect our children.
Hi Contagious,
I haven’t watched the playbook. I’m only listening to the podcast so I’m familiar with what’s happening right. Its quite fascinating to watch this unfold in real time.
I like Isla very much too. I think she genuinely cares about the victims. I hope with Mr. Tudor’s help, she’s able to expose Vaknin as a monster and a criminal case is brought against him.
Then Mr. Tudor can get accurate information out there about narcissism and more victims/targets will be weaponized.
Hi Leigh:
I Watched the Manson tapes documentary 2026 with the majority of recordings never heard before of Manson. Reminded me of Sam and Cult leaders in various ways… Charlie starts out saying. “I ain’t let know one know me. When you talk to me. I put on a face and play you back to yourself. You will never know what I am thinking.” Chilling isn’t it??? The awareness of the MASK.
As we know, Women followers stabbed and killed an 8 month pregnant women ( Sharon Tate). 8 months pregnant. 8 months pregnant.! Tate was Tied up by the neck with rope while stabbed. (1.) Charlie controlled women or rather girls as most 20 or younger in the family…. One said in this series… if “ Charlie says it’s right, it’s right.” Brain washed, mind control.
How? Why? Charlie is almost illiterate to me. Dirty. Small. Short. “ An imp.” Scrawny. Weird. (2.) Now he chose young girls- as young as 14. Ok. Vulnerable girls. Charlie says he was “the gardener “ who tended the “ flower children “ he states in a recorded statement. (3.) Charlie told the girls that “ their family didn’t love them and he promised to love them as they were “ family.” He gave them cute nicknames… mother Mary, Snake, squeaky, sexy Sadie ( Susan Adkins) a former stripper. Gypsy. These girls were in a time of “ counterculture” yet these girls were known in the Haight as acting in unison and reacting to Charlie’s every command. Charlie ‘s family member is recorded saying (3.) Charlie would say… I am your “ “ father. “ I am “ all men.” Many of the girls were run aways. Young and vulnerable.
Of course he isolated them at the ranch.Charlie says “
(4.) They see the nice guy. I am not the nice guy. But I give them enough nice guy that lures them in.” Charlie gave them drugs and he did not use after. Control, control, control. He degraded them sexually having his girls have sex with men they did not want to have sex with (5.) sexual degradation- rape by sodomy as “ that’s how you did it in prison” (6.) He verbally and physically punished the girls. (7.) he would tell them “ not to think” ( merger) as he would think for them.
Charlie said he “ raised himself.” Terrible childhood. (8. ) Bad mother who he visited in jail as a very young child in Virginia. His mother and uncle were cons and mom went to jail… and Charlie was a delinquent in multiple Juvie facilities. Age 11? Conduct disorder in youth is a known criteria for psychopaths. There were rapes and physical beatings there. Charlie is recorded as saying he was “regularly whipped so bad that he could not walk. “ (9.) per one women, Charlie raped her at the ranch. In a reform school Manson was caught raping a boy with a knife to his throat. Rapist.
Charlie gets briefly married and has a child that he never met. He steals cars, and writes bad checks or financial fraud. (10) He goes to jail in LA. Welcome to LA. He plays guitar in prison. Writes songs. Wants to be a rock star.
After jail, Charlie meets Dennis (7th youngest brother) of Beach Boys who hooks him up with Doris Days’ son Terry Melcher. Melcher comes briefly to the ranch to hear Charlie play and passes on him. Charlie is enraged as in his mind Melcher reneged in a record deal. (11.) He is recorded if a business partner betrays me, “ I don’t forget nothing. And I am not in the business of forgiveness. If someone betrays me man… I’m I’m after them for the rest of my life. As long as I got breath in my soul.” This fall out caused Charlie to go dark.
Very dark and he went off the rails. Charlie got into a race war and called it Helter Skelter. Charlie found hidden messages in the White album. Charlie gave the girls buck knives and taught them how to kill. He preached an end of the world message. Charlie has a biker gang move in and Charlie shot someone. Very dark he went. Very dark after Melcher’s rejection.
It was Melchers old house where the girls killed Tate and others. Tex was there and killed too. Charlie sent 3 girls with Tex armed to kill at this address. The victims were “ over killed” 102 stab wounds. Manson told the girls to leave someone “ witchy.” Pig was written in blood on the wall. Manson directed them to murder. They did. In another house- a couple the Bianca’s and there were two girls ( Leslie was one) and Tex again who stabbed the two. After stabbing them, the two girls and Tex eat a snack in their kitchen. 41 stab wounds. One Knife was stabbed down the man’s throat. War and Rise and Death and Helter Skelter to pigs was written in blood on the walls. The 3 return to master Charlie. Now 7 murders.
In a recording Manson is asked “ Didn’t you care that Tate was 8 months pregnant?” Manson says with his voice raised “ Care? I don’t live in their world. Did anyone care that I was kicked down a hallway and had my teeth knocked out? What do I know about caring? Oh no, no… no.” It’s atrocious what anybody does…” (12. ) Imagine tears of self pity)
So Charlie and the family get arrested for car part thefts after the murder. Many family members were arrested but not for murder AND there is a legal mishap with a bad warrant and they are released and they all move to the Barker ranch in the desert.
Charlie says in a recording “ I want the whole world man and I am gonna get it. The whole world. Our Father who art in heaven Charlie Maddox Manson. Thy kingdom come thy will be done. Everybody will get what they are owed. Debts will be paid.” I guess the murders or the deaths made Charlie God in his mind. ( 13. )The ultimate act of power and control ( life/death). In the small remote town at the Barker ranch, the family burns a house down and they get arrested. Susan Atkins admits out of the blue that she murdered Tate. That was it.
Charlie carves an X on his forehead for trial. Charlie says I am Xing myself out of society (14)
Charlie is exposed then uses withdrawal as a control method.
The girls sat outside with Xs on their heads chanting. Ages 20 or younger. Asked if Charlie was convicted, they would put themselves on fire like the monks. At one point they try to crawl from Sunset Boulevard ten miles to the courthouse burning their hands. Susan silently parrots with her mouth what Charlie says at trial.
The trial was interesting the prosecutor was called a narcissist in the series and of course Charlie was. They hated each other. Charlie loses.
Per Charlie’s recorded statement “Reality is created in a court room whether I want it to be or not.” [Yes…. The justice system isn’t helpful to those who prefer to live in a fantasy world…. ]
At trial, A family member Linda Katarina testified against Charlie at the trial for full immunity… as she was present at the killings. She sunk his case. She got immunity. When the judge denied Manson a chance to cross examine, Manson jumped across the railing to stab the judge in the eye with a pencil. He threatened to kill “ the old man.” Not a good legal move.
Charlie and the girls get the death penalty but they are never killed. California laws changed. To protect himself, Charlie makes the X into a swatztica to be protected by the Woodies in prison ( not in Netflix series but I know) as they are called in LA. The white supremists.
(15.) Charlie is recorded years later, and an old man as saying he “ had no remorse. All my life I have been a crook. Not because I chose to do it but because I was born into it. Everybody tells you that the choice is yours. But the bottom line is you realize you can commit suicide or continue living in hell. “ The reporter says to him, “ Well you know the Bible says good triumphs evil, you know that.” Charlie replies “ No man it doesn’t. That’s where you are wrong. Evil always wins.”
Charlie died at 83 being famous for hate, evil and murder. Nothing.
Charlie killed the hippie movement. Peace love and understanding. ??? Those young girls were looking for love and to belong, they found the opposite. They entered hell.
I numbered themes and facts that seem consistent with these types of predators.
1. The mask
2. Choosing young vulnerable women to control
3. Playing the father figure to the girls
4. Love bombing them knowing it’s insincere
5. Sexual abuse
6. Physical abuse
7. Wanting them to merge or only think like him
8. Bad mom
9. Conduct Disorder in youth
10. Rapist
11. Vengeance at business partner or anger for not getting a career he felt entitled
12. Only cares about himself. Even murder does not bother him.
13. No remorse and God like thrill or high over killing some one or causing their death
14. Use of withdrawal when caught in justice system
15. No accountability
I would add: embraces evil. Sees evil as the way of life, the way to survive and succeed. Perhaps learned behavior at a young age. Also the rejection of God makes them unaccountable after death.
Good luck with that Charlie…..
It’s amazing the statements these types make or even set forth as an “. academic lesson”. Horrifying the way their mind works and yet… predictable, a playbook, not always involving murder but same attitude. And the eyes. The crazy eyes. The no one is in there look.
The victims varied to some degree. Some wanted out but Charlie beat them and they were terrified to leave. Many others were so young and vulnerable from un-stable homes. Broken girls who he destroyed. Others might have been a lot like him. Like attracting like. I think Tex was like Charlie. A murderous thug. Others totally brain washed to the point of merger with Charlie, losing identity.
Hi Contagious and Leigh,
I recently saw the documentary, MY GRANDFATHER CHARLES MANSON, on HULU. She digs up info on her grandfather and I felt bad for her because she had mixed feelings about him and what she found out. I recommend watching it. Xx
Dear HG, Have you seen it yet? What is your opinion on the documentary? Thank you for your time and replies. Xx
I don’t believe in God — I’m a person of science — but I still find myself thanking Him, or perhaps some benevolent higher power, for somehow leading me to this website all those years ago and giving me the opportunity to discover and study HG Tudor’s work.
Just thanking me is the equivalent.
Hi Rebecca,
The documentary about Manson’s granddaughter sounds interesting. I’ll have to check it out. I can’t even imagine how she feels.
Hi Leigh,
After you watch the documentary on CM’s granddaughter, please let me know? I would love to read you take on it. She reminds me of how I feel about my brother at times, torn between feeling bad for him and the abuse he went through and seeing also the dark side of him too. She was very torn. I really felt for her. She seeemd to be a very empathic person. She was so torn and confused. It is hard to have love for someone, feel for them and then still know what they are capable of doing…it is a torture that is hard to convey to someone who doesn’t understand, or who hasn’t been there. Xx
His interview with Tom Snyder (I think in 1981) made a strong impression on me in childhood. I recently read and article on his 1997 psychological evaluation (his last) and I found this line interesting: “He experienced little if any anxiety, was pathologically self-focused, and felt omnipotent to defend his grandiose self-image.”
Hi Rebecca! Thank you for the tip! I will watch it! This makes at be the child of the child that he left! Be interesting!
Charles Manson was diagnosed with ASPD. It is not surprising as he had conduct disorder as a child. Psychopathy does not exist in the DSM as a diagnosis.
Narcs and psychopaths are aware of their actions. My question was confusing and inaccurate. I think what I truly meant was does psychopathy always trump narcissism. HG said he is mostly psychopathic in an interview I heard. But is that the case with all?
Ps I don’t know if Charlie was a narc. He was a cult leader and my guess is yes given the amount of attention and validation he seemed to need.
He was deemed ASPD so if I am right he was a narcissistic psychopath.
Be a good oic with the new documentaries out to tudorscope:)
Hi Contagious,
In my opinion, Charles Manson acted more like a Sociopath, than a Psychopath, and I think he had some narcissism thrown in there too. In my opinion he was a sociopath with narcisssitic traits, or maybe even a narcissistic sociopath.
Dear HG,
Will you do an analysis of the documentary, MY GRANDFATHER CHARLES MANSON? What was Charles Manson? I would love to hear your opinion on both! Xx
One more thing:
I wonder if you are a narcissistic psychopath as perhaps was Manson. Could your awareness exist as a psychopath, ie. I know I am bullshitting and conning these women. I know I am luring them in. I know I am stealing. I know I am lying, raping, killing… while your narcissist side remains unaware? Defenses like lack of accountability ( I can’t help how I was raised) withdrawal ( like when convicted in court). I guess lack of empathy and remorse is common for both. Could you be both? An aware psychopath and an unaware narc? Could Charlie have accumulated women and used them for sex and stimulation without realizing he also needed them as a narc to remain in control and have his prime aims met. There is such an overlap … I know with HG he says his psychopathy controls but is it always the case? Hmmmm
Hi Contagious,
Lesser narcs know there actions are questionable but they don’t care. They think its deserved & justified. So if a lesser narc punches someone in the face, they don’t care because they think they deserve it.
Maybe Manson was a lesser narc and a sociopath. Maybe he was a pure narc with a psychopathic trait of sadism like Lucy Letby.
Either way, he was a sick bastard!
Hi Contagious and Leigh,
I have seen a lot of documenteries on CM and “his girls” and I know this will sound harsh, but based on what they did, and how he lead them up to the murders, they all should have been executed years ago. I have a very strong Justice trait and it really gets triggered, together with my moderate trait of Anger…an eye for an eye rings true for me. They killed and he was behind the killing, so they deserved execution. I wanted to understand them, why they did what they did, why I watched the nurmerous documenteries on them, and what I came to was the drugs played a part on the killings, their own abuse, his abuse, and their own various mental illnesses between the girls and CM. Their mental illnesses are no doubt what saved them from being executed. I wouldn’t have voted for life in prison. They would have been executed if it was up to me….after seeing what they did to Sharon and her unborn baby, no, they don’t deserve to live. Xx
PS. I’ve got no time for Grannon either.
Mari – right there with you.
He was so annoying in the documentary.
I can imagine he was, 1WC. He’s another one I checked before HG popped up on me suggestions. No thanks.
What compelled me to add the PS was in Isla’s podcast ep 3, he introduced a question at a seminar to Vaknin and I thought, get lost, don’t try and tell me he had no idea that SV is a wrongun. Even if he didn’t know the extent, if you’re postulating about narcissism and claiming to be an authority, in order to help genuinely messy people, you go into business with a blatant weasel and introduce a question about choosing his victims like it’s some kind of funny game? No. Wrongun. At very best, unfit for the job he’s put himself into!
Ermmm…I’m not even half way through this third podcast episode of Isla’s and I am here to say, in my opinion, VAKNIN’S going down. If all is true, how can he not?
The poor lady in the first bit, subject to his nonsense. She’s got to be for real, I’d be very surprised if it was not the truth. She’s clearly deeply upset to say the least. I shall listen to more later.
*Sidenote* I wondered where the surname Traquair comes from and according to the interweb, it’s of Celtic/Cumbric origin and translates to, ‘the dwelling on the winding stream”, which I think is lovely.
Hi Mari:
I am not victim blaming as I understand these women who sought solace in Sam needed help and were vulnerable and not one of them deserved to be used and abused. No one deserves to be a victim of a crime. No one and I hope Sam goes back to prison.
With that being said Sam is not licensed. Any quick internet search shows he was jailed for fraud in Israel. Sam is based in Macedonia and I think he is afraid to leave as he is fearful of being arrested in other countries. He is married but cheats. And he is a self admitted narcissist psychopath. If you need help, SAM????? Red flags are not just flying , they are surrounding Sam like a bright red flag beacon. It just goes to show you how vulnerable some people can be and how society needs to offer better protection for them. You always wonder…. Didn’t a parent, a friend, anyone worry about this young girl years with old Sam? Notice her decline? It’s like seeing someone you love deteriorate in a Cult. Idk maybe others tried but it is sad and frustrating to see a criminal get away for it for so long and harm so many. Where are the police? The prosecutors? The lawyers? Why did an investigative journalist have to give these cases greater exposure?
It’s clear based on what I have heard on Islas podcast that one of the women had intimate relations with Sam ( yuck), she was 20. He abused all of them terribly. Sam in the film is taking the ( legal) position that he was not their psychologist ( as no license to be one) and these were consensual affairs that are private. Maybe that’s why he gives a “ disclaimer” each episode as to what his creds actually are. Maybe it’s fear based and not posturing or marketing as maybe Sam is aware criminal complaints have been made in various places by these women . But Sam is by the evidence presented so far…. a fraud, a criminal fraud based on what I read and heard as he takes their money too, and Sam admitted to rape in an email. I think there is enough evidence to indict him….Sam needs to be stopped and hopefully Isla has at least dented his abilities to harm through exposure. But Sam has a following, his members pop up and defend him. Sadly unless Sam pulls an Andrew Tate and thinks he can fly to another Western country, I think Sam will continue on being Sam. Sam belongs behind bars. I wonder why the Macedonia government has not taken action. I don’t know enough about that country to understand their lack of action. Sad. Very sad.
Hey Contagious, thank you for that response and information. I didn’t know he’d been behind bars before. At this stage, I’ve not bothered to search anything about him. All I knew, from my own reckoning, is that he is not a man to pay attention to. Then I heard about the Playbook Fandango and listened to the Isla Traquair, ep.3. Incidentally, I did have a brief look at Isla and discovered she has been subject to stalking, did you know?
“Pull an Andrew Tate” 😀 If Tate is the Talking Toe, I’d say SV is the Talking Scrotum of narcissism. I’m guessing he’ll try to pull something!
As for the level of psycho-emotional compliance of someone in need, it can be hard to fathom how they get themselves into such situations. I *can* fathom how somebody without familial support and no close network of genuine friends, could be overlooked in such circumstances. Especially if they come from an abusive or traumatic background. They could be quite isolated already.
The first ‘victim’ speaking, did say she had significant, complex issues.
Early relational dysfunction can make for some squiffy choices, can’t it? I’m just musing, am no expert.
As you say – and HG says – the hold of an abusive dynamic is like an addiction/cult. Sometimes, no amount of concern from loved ones can intervene successfully. There’s also the shame element: the women might know it’s not a healthy relationship, especially that 20 year old, with an age difference to boot. Maybe they were not truthful, or totally secretive about it, if concerned loved ones tried to investigate a decline in wellbeing.
I do wonder if SV will weasel his way out of this latest scandal, or if enough focus and pressure for justice will be applied by the right people, to pin him down. He’s one of many, I guess. Perhaps he knows a few heads who’ve helped him out. If so, will they hold sway now, or will he be on his own?
*Edit* I meant talking testicle, not scrotum. V.Important distinction.
😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 narc scrotum 😂😂😂😂😂😂
Ps I dug deeper. I think SV will escape criminal prosecution. I wrote about the legalities elsewhere. Public opinion???
hello Contagious, I have read your pro opinion elsewhere, thank you for taking the time. indeed, public opinion could cause his ship to sink enough for current business and M.O. to go daarrrrnn.
unless incarcertated though, as you said, nothing will stop him. if he is able to continue milking FUEL in that way from his prey, he will do it.
I just listened to the third episode of Isla Traquair’s podcast, and the dominant impression I got is what a boring fuck Vaknin is, excuse my language. He so likes to hear himself talk. He does nothing but boast. Anybody who brags so much about all the terms he has supposedly coined is usually lying. The same when he said that he is a “professor of ……..uhhhh……. psychology in ..uhhhhh….several institutions and so on and so forth.” Someone who really held this position would not produce such a hesitation when pronouncing his job title, because he would be proud of his position, he would have repeated it so many times that it has become second nature, and because he would not have to think about whether this is the right lie for this particular audience. Neither would he have to resort to the vagueness of “several institutions”. “And so on and so forth”? If he had any credentials, he would be able to name them, with the specific universities and institutes and academic achievements. He is so fond of tooting his own horn in general, but he cannot give you the names of the places where he supposedly achieved all this? Sounds very fishy to me.
Also, notice when he speaks about how he selects his victims, that he finds out whether they are talking to Richard Grannon. The obvious question he does not ask here is whether they are talking to HG Tudor. One, because he is envious as hell that HG is so much better and he can only copy HG’s work and steal HG’s terminology, and two, because he knows that anybody who talks or listens to HG is not likely to fall for Vaknin’s second-rate schtick, which is clearly not the case with Grannon. So, HG, the fact that you are not being talked of here is a sign of how far above this guy you are. He does not even dare mention you.
An accurate analysis.
Thank you!
I wish I could give this a thousand likes!
I’m looking forward to yout podcast with Isla Traquair. I’m also looking forward to you working with her to breakdown Vaknin’s behaviors and exposing him.
You’re the expert on narcissism and now more people are going to see that & have access to accurate information about narcissism.
This is quite an opportunity for you, Mr. Tudor! Its very exciting!
Hello HG. After my first encounter with a narcissist several years ago, I booked a consult with you (which opened my eyes immensely). Needless to say, I was thrilled to see your contribution to this film. Thanks so much for all you do!
You are welcome.
This is the most excited I’ve been about HG going mainstream and getting the notoriety he deserves since I’ve been following. Please let Netflix pick this up.
Hello MB,
So nice to see you back on the blog! Hope things are well with you.
I agree, re: Netflix. It would be great to see the broader exposure that HG`s work needs.
I can tell from following them on YT and IG that the filmmakers, and associates, are plugging this documentary hard. And they are getting some really good reviews of the film as well.
MB & 1WC,
Mr. Tudor on Netflix! I love that idea! That would be absolutely fantastic! I’ll keep my fingers & toes crossed!
Mr. Tudor truly deserves this!
I will definitely have to get Netflix then! I hope it happens for HG! HG deserves it, after all his hard work! Xx
Dear HG,
Please inform us when this happens because I don’t want to miss it! Thank you for all that you do for us and your legacy! Xx
Hi Rebecca,
I didn’t mean to imply that its happening. I was just so excited by MB & 1WC’s comments, I got carried away.
I do hope that Mr. Tudor gets the recognition he so richly deserves!