TwilightPrincess wrote:
Sometimes ruthless people mask who they really are and seek out/actively pursue those who are vulnerable in some way. It doesn’t mean that the person who fell for their nonsense was attracted to the ruthlessness itself. Some manipulative people are good at masking who they really are.
Beyond this, sometimes even really bad people will have individual people (or other living things) they're uncharacteristically kind to. That behaviour isn't always manipulative at it's core, although it may be, or, if the person is prone to splitting (alternates between holding others in extreme high regard and extreme low regard) it might appear to be in hindsight even if the high regard and associated kindness was sincere while it was being demonstrated.
Again, it doesn't mean that partner is attracted to the antisocial traits or even fully aware of them.
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I was ashamed of myself when I realised life was a costume party and I attended with my real face
"Many of us like to ask ourselves, What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now." —Former U.S. Airman (Air Force) Aaron Bushnell