For individuals like Joel Johnson, conflict is more than a byproduct of discourse—it is an **intrinsic feature** of his engagement model. His rhetorical strategy does not seek **resolution** but **reinforcement**, ensuring continuous cycles of intellectual and social combat that preserve his perceived authority.
This report applies **Karpman’s Drama Triangle**, a psychological model that explains how individuals unconsciously cycle through three distinct roles in ongoing conflicts:
Through **forensic linguistic analysis**, we examine Joel Johnson’s **discourse patterns** to document how he strategically **shifts between these roles** to maintain control, suppress opposition, and justify his rhetoric.
## **2. The Intellectual Posturing Phase (Rescuer → Persecutor Shift)**
Joel Johnson begins by positioning himself as an **intellectual Rescuer**, framing the discussion as an **objective, philosophical exploration** rather than a confrontation. This allows him to maintain an initial posture of **rational detachment**, while subtly implying **his authority** in the debate.
However, the **Rescuer stance is only a temporary tool**. Once Mark presents a **structured challenge to Joel’s control of the frame**, Joel **abandons rational discourse** and shifts into **Persecutor mode**.
When his **intellectual superiority is questioned**, Joel pivots to a **dismissive and accusatory tone**, undermining Mark’s credibility **without engaging in substantive rebuttal**.
> *“Mark, you were inaccurate, and my control needs are very low. Your mapping showed a disposition towards seeing control and fragility of identity.”*
Here, Joel employs **several manipulative strategies**:
- **Deflection**: He **does not** address the actual points raised but instead **shifts the conversation to Mark’s personal “disposition.”**
- **Projection**: He **accuses Mark of seeing control dynamics where they don’t exist**, despite his own repeated attempts to **frame, redefine, and control the discourse**.
This **Persecutor stance**, however, is unstable—Joel does not wish to appear **too aggressive**, as it would weaken his **initial positioning as a rational, curious thinker**.
By using **mocking familiarity ("friend")**, he attempts to **emotionally manipulate** the situation—**pretending camaraderie** while framing Mark as an unstable aggressor.
## **4. The Grand Narrative Reset (Victim → Persecutor Shift)**
Realizing that his **previous rhetorical tactics have failed**, Joel **escalates** by invoking **external consequences**—a **threat-based power move** designed to **reclaim dominance**.
> *“Mark, that’s some crazy shit. Research and a list of names that includes me. You did some work. Besides being slander and libel, it’s actually full-scale madness. I’m going to be filing some paperwork soon.”*
This is an **attempt to freeze discourse** through **fear and escalation**—forcing Mark into a defensive position **without engaging with the actual content**.
Here, Joel **plays the final Victim card**, using **his past hardships as a shield** to **deflect criticism and reframe himself as an unfairly attacked party.**
## **5. Conclusion: The Drama Triangle in Perpetual Motion**
Joel Johnson’s **engagement style** is **not about truth-seeking** but **control-seeking**. His **constant role-switching** follows the **Perpetual Conflict Model**, ensuring that no interaction **ever reaches resolution**:
At **no point** does Joel **engage with the actual argument**, nor does he **seek resolution**—his primary objective is **narrative dominance**, ensuring **he dictates the terms of discourse.**
- **Joel never maintains a stable position**—he **cycles through Victim, Persecutor, and Rescuer** roles to manipulate the conversation.
- **His engagement is a self-sustaining loop**—designed to keep others **emotionally and intellectually entangled.**
- **His tactics are transparent once mapped**—his role-switching **aligns perfectly with Karpman’s Drama Triangle**, proving that **his engagement is about control, not dialogue.**
By documenting and analyzing his behavior **through forensic linguistic analysis**, we can see that **Joel’s rhetoric is not organic discourse—it is a structured manipulation strategy designed to sustain perpetual conflict.**