# **The “Perpetual Conflict” Model: Karpman’s Drama Triangle in Joel Johnson’s Behavior**  
### *A Forensic Analysis of Manufactured Conflict as a Narcissistic Control Mechanism*  
**Prepared for Scholarly Reference on Digital Narcissism & Online Manipulation**  
**Author: Mark Randall Havens**  
**Platform: Neutralizing Narcissism**  

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## **1. Introduction: The Engine of Narcissistic Conflict**  
Manipulative individuals do not merely **engage** in conflict—they **depend on it.**  

For narcissistic manipulators like Joel Johnson, **conflict is not an accident or an inconvenience—it is a necessary mechanism for control**.  

Joel’s behavioral patterns map directly onto **Karpman’s Drama Triangle**—a psychological model that outlines how individuals **cycle through three roles in manufactured conflict:**  

1. **Victim** – Helpless, persecuted, seeking validation.  
2. **Persecutor** – Aggressor, justifying attacks.  
3. **Rescuer** – The “hero” who protects others from an imaginary threat.  

By cycling through these roles, **Joel maintains an artificial sense of importance, avoids accountability, and keeps his social ecosystem under his control.**  

This report applies **Karpman’s Drama Triangle** to Joel’s discourse dataset, analyzing how he weaponizes these roles in real time.  

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## **2. Karpman’s Drama Triangle: The Framework of Manufactured Conflict**  
### **2.1 What is the Drama Triangle?**  
The **Drama Triangle** is a psychological model developed by **Stephen Karpman in 1968**, originally to describe patterns of toxic interpersonal relationships. It has since been applied to **manipulative social dynamics, political rhetoric, and online discourse.**  

In **pathological narcissists**, the Drama Triangle **isn’t just an occasional behavior—it is a survival mechanism.** The narcissist **cycles between three roles** to:  
- **Control perceptions**  
- **Evade accountability**  
- **Keep people emotionally invested**  

### **2.2 Joel Johnson’s Use of the Drama Triangle**  
Joel’s **public discourse** and **documented online interactions** reveal a **highly structured and deliberate cycling** between these three roles.  

| **Drama Triangle Role** | **Joel Johnson’s Application** | **Tactical Purpose** |
|----------------------|--------------------------------|-------------------|
| **Victim** | "They’re all ganging up on me!" | Gains sympathy, deflects scrutiny. |
| **Persecutor** | "These people are liars and frauds!" | Justifies aggression, silences dissent. |
| **Rescuer** | "I’m here to expose corruption and help others see the truth." | Builds a loyal following, positions himself as a hero. |

By oscillating between these roles, **Joel creates an endless loop of artificial conflict**, ensuring he is always **the center of attention**—never accountable, never irrelevant.  

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## **3. Victimhood as a Manipulation Tool**  

**“I am the real victim here.”**  

### **3.1 How Joel Uses Victimhood to Evade Accountability**  
A narcissistic manipulator **relies on victimhood as a shield**—not because they are truly oppressed, but because **victimhood disarms criticism** and **invites blind loyalty.**  

Joel repeatedly **frames himself as a target of conspiracies, smear campaigns, and personal vendettas.**  

| **Joel’s Victimhood Narrative** | **Real-World Purpose** |
|------------------------|-------------------|
| **“This is a witch hunt.”** | Attempts to frame accountability as persecution. |
| **“They’ve been after me for years.”** | Rewrites history to create a long-standing injustice. |
| **“People are obsessed with me.”** | Attempts to delegitimize valid criticism. |
| **“I’m just one guy being attacked by a mob.”** | Appeals to bystanders for sympathy. |

**Linguistic Markers of False Victimhood in Joel’s Speech:**  
- **Hyperbolic Language** (“constant attacks,” “relentless harassment”)  
- **Overuse of Absolutes** (“always,” “never,” “everyone,” “nobody”)  
- **Reversal of Aggression** (“I only responded because I was provoked.”)  

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## **4. The Persecutor Role: Justifying His Own Attacks**  

**“I’m not attacking—I’m exposing the truth.”**  

### **4.1 How Joel Uses the Persecutor Role to Maintain Dominance**  
Once Joel has established himself as a **victim**, he **shifts into attack mode**, justifying **aggressive, manipulative, and even unethical behavior** under the guise of self-defense.  

| **Persecutor Behavior** | **Joel’s Rhetorical Strategy** |
|------------------|-------------------|
| **Character Assassination** | “These people are frauds.” |
| **Moral Justification** | “I’m just calling out deception.” |
| **Intellectual Superiority** | “They’re too stupid to understand my position.” |
| **Demonization of Opponents** | “These are bad people who need to be stopped.” |

**Key Traits of Joel’s Persecutor Role:**  
- **Moral Grandstanding** – Presents himself as ethically superior.  
- **Projection** – Accuses others of his own behavior.  
- **Public Callouts** – Uses smear tactics to silence opposition.  

**Case Example: The Attack Cycle**  
1. **Joel presents himself as a victim.** (“They’ve been trying to take me down for years.”)  
2. **Joel then attacks his “oppressors.”** (“They are dangerous frauds who should be exposed.”)  
3. **When confronted, Joel returns to victim mode.** (“Now they’re attacking me even more!”)  

This cycle repeats **indefinitely**, creating **endless conflict where Joel is always either the victim or the righteous warrior—but never the aggressor.**  

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## **5. The Rescuer Role: Manufacturing a Hero Narrative**  

**“I’m just here to help people see the truth.”**  

### **5.1 How Joel Uses the Rescuer Role to Build a Cult of Loyalty**  
Once Joel has justified his **aggression**, he reframes himself as a **Rescuer**—a figure who is fighting **for the greater good**.  

This allows him to:  
- **Recruit allies** who believe in his “cause.”  
- **Deflect accountability** by framing criticism as an attack on his “mission.”  
- **Create dependency** among supporters who feel indebted to him.  

| **Rescuer Strategy** | **Joel’s Application** |
|------------------|-------------------|
| **“I’m exposing corruption.”** | Frames personal vendettas as noble pursuits. |
| **“I’m standing up for the weak.”** | Gains loyalty by presenting himself as a savior. |
| **“If you don’t support me, you’re with them.”** | Forces polarization, eliminates neutrality. |

**Psychological Effect:**  
- **Encourages blind loyalty** (followers see him as a selfless hero).  
- **Shields himself from criticism** (any attack on him becomes an attack on his cause).  
- **Creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality** (polarizes his audience).  

**Case Example: The “Hero Trap”**  
- **Joel positions himself as a defender of truth.**  
- **People who question him are labeled as “traitors” or “corrupt.”**  
- **Followers become emotionally invested, unable to question him without cognitive dissonance.**  

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## **6. Conclusion: The Perpetual Conflict Machine**  
Joel Johnson does not **resolve conflicts—he perpetuates them.**  

By constantly **shifting roles within the Drama Triangle**, he ensures that:  
- **He is always relevant.**  
- **He is never fully accountable.**  
- **He controls the social dynamics of every interaction.**  

**Key Takeaways:**  
- **Victim Mode** = Gains sympathy, avoids scrutiny.  
- **Persecutor Mode** = Justifies aggression, silences dissent.  
- **Rescuer Mode** = Builds loyalty, creates ideological dependency.  

This **endless cycle of artificial conflict** is the **engine that fuels his narcissistic pathology**.  

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## **7. Future Research Recommendations**  
- **The Role of the Drama Triangle in Digital Harassment Cases**  
- **Narcissistic Leadership & the Creation of False Conflict**  
- **Online Cult Dynamics & the Weaponization of Victimhood**  

This report serves as an **archival reference for understanding the psychological mechanisms of manufactured conflict in online narcissism.**