If you’ve ever watched a true crime show or are interested in deviant characters, you’re familiar with certain personality traits. We often hear about the narcissist or psychopaths, but rarely about the Machiavellian personality.
However, Machiavellianism makes up a third of the dark triad, along with narcissism and psychopathy. So I wonder why this particular trait is not well understood, when in fact it is the most interesting.
What is Machiavellianism?
The term Machiavelli is derived from the early sixteenth-century Italian philosopher and writer Niccolò Machiavelli. Machiavelli was the political advisor to the powerful Medici family in Italy.
Before the advent of Machiavelli, politics was considered a matter of ethics and ethics. Machiavelli realized that there was a better way to gain and maintain control.
He believed that the end justifies the means and that rulers should use whatever tools are at their disposal. This included deception, manipulation, and fear to gain power.
So how does someone with Machiavellian traits present themselves in modern society?
What is the Machiavellian personality?
Machiavellianism is a pernicious personality trait that a person exploits, abuses, and manipulates to achieve their goals. Machiavellianism is one of the traits of the Dark Triad. Along with psychopathy and narcissism.
7 Signs of a Machiavellian Personality
- They are cynical and distrustful
Machiavellians believe that everyone is untrustworthy. They are suspicious by nature. They believe the world is a game of winners and losers. You play the game to win and if someone gets crushed along the way that’s how it works.
They assume everyone is doing the same as they are. So if they don’t get you first, they will be the losers.
- There are liars, and then there are Machiavellian liars
We all tell lies. Little white lies don’t offend our friends. We make excuses about why we can’t attend a colleague’s wedding or say our partner looks amazing in this dress.
But Machiavellian lies are on a different level. More than that, they are good at lying. Machiavellian characters rarely tell the truth. They will tell the kind of lies that are causing you problems and put it in a positive light.
“If I tell the truth sometimes, I hide it behind so many hard-to-find lies.” Machiavelli
- They would rather default than work hard
If that means exploiting others, then so be it. They will use all their powers of persuasion and flattery to get you to do most of the work. But you will not get appreciation. They went to their boss and signed their name.
They believe that anyone who does a hard day’s work is a jerk and deserves to be used.
- Money, power, and status are most important
The Machiavellian personality values money over family, power over people, and status over morality. It is easy to identify this person. They will be the family members who insist on discussing the division of the inheritance at your parent’s funeral.
Or the ex who brags about how he dumped you into paying more than your fair share of the bills.
- They exploit exploit people
Machiavellians will do anything to achieve their goals. This means that they have to use or exploit others. People are just a means to an end for them. They are things to use to further their interests.
They may be friends, lovers, or family members; Machiavellian does not matter. Whether it’s posting incriminating photos of an ex-partner on social media, or withholding vital information from a colleague. After all, isn’t everyone doing the same thing?
- Flattery gets them everywhere — with you
Machiavellian characters seem charming and elegant when you first meet them. They have a gift for flattery. A Machiavellian character will tell you what you want to hear.
They will take advantage of friendships and family members by flattering them. Remember those pyramid schemes in the 1980s that robbed the life savings of ordinary people? They relied on the charm and cunning of ruthless salespeople. I bet you can associate the majority with Machiavellian traits.
- It’s very strategic, but you wouldn’t know it
You will not find the Machiavellian personality as center stage as the narcissist or psychopath. Machiavellians like to stay hidden in the shadows, calmly planning their next tactical move. These are the ultimate coercive controls.
They love to pull the strings unnoticed. They will take control of the situation and then sit back and watch from afar as their plans unfold.
What would you do about a person with Machiavellian traits?
It is upsetting to recognize the above signs and realize that you know someone who is Machiavellian. But you don’t have to be like them.
The way to understand the Machiavellian personality is to learn about how they see the world, and then learn about the tactics they use to manipulate it.
People who score high on Machiavellian traits believe that people cannot be trusted, that they are selfish, gullible, and weak, and therefore, there are such pawns to be exploited.
Because they believe the world is like this, they feel justified in using any means necessary to achieve their goals. They don’t care about morals or feelings and want results with minimal effort.
