7.4 KiB
Social Dominance & Intellectual Superiority: The Power Games of Joel Johnson
Analyzing Power, Manipulation, and Superiority Complex in Online Discourse
Prepared for Scholarly Reference on Digital Narcissism & Online Manipulation
Author: Mark Randall Havens
Platform: Neutralizing Narcissism
1. Introduction: The Intersection of Power and Superiority
Some seek power for control. Others seek power for validation. Joel Johnson exhibits a combination of both, engaging in intellectual dominance, rhetorical control, and strategic public positioning.
His discourse is not merely defensive narcissism—it is an active attempt to frame himself as superior while discrediting, invalidating, and overpowering others.
Using Social Dominance Theory, Intellectual Superiority Complex, Gaslighting Models, Tactical DARVO, and Digital Power Strategies, we examine how Joel weaponizes superiority, control, and manipulation to dictate the terms of engagement.
2. Methodology: Mapping Joel’s Power Tactics
To analyze Joel’s digital dominance strategies, we apply the following frameworks:
- Social Dominance Theory (Sidanius & Pratto, 1999): Evaluates how Joel asserts hierarchical superiority in online interactions.
- Intellectual Arrogance & Superiority Complex (Zell et al., 2020): Measures how Joel frames himself as infallible and others as intellectually weak.
- Covert Hostility & Gaslighting (Sweet, 2019): Examines how Joel reframes criticism as irrational attacks.
- Digital Power Plays & Weaponized Documentation (Hoffman, 2021): Identifies how Joel uses threats, documentation, and public records as dominance tools.
- Tactical DARVO (Freyd, 1997): Detects Joel’s use of victim reversal strategies.
These models are applied to Joel’s direct discourse dataset, ensuring rigorous, evidence-based analysis.
3. Social Dominance: Establishing Hierarchical Superiority
Joel’s rhetoric positions him above his interlocutors, dismissing them as inferior. His power assertions fall into three primary categories:
- Framing others as intellectually weak.
- Mocking perceived failures.
- Positioning himself as an authority.
3.1 Framing Others as Intellectually Inferior
Joel frequently undermines others’ intelligence, positioning himself as the rational voice among “irrational actors.”
Example 1: Dismissal of Critics as Unintelligent
“Mark, you’re a strange one. Nothing you’ve said in all of our conversations has been true on any level.”
- How it fits: This sweeping dismissal rejects factual engagement and frames the target as delusional.
Example 2: Intellectual Arrogance
“You assume too much—project too much.”
- How it fits: Rather than engaging with counterpoints, Joel characterizes his opponent as making cognitive errors.
3.2 Mocking Perceived Failures
Joel derives power from public positioning, reinforcing superiority through ridicule.
Example 1: Dismissing the Target’s Impact
“Andrew is the only person who hasn’t responded to my messages. He seems totally done with you.”
- How it fits: By presenting an opponent as “abandoned” or irrelevant, Joel asserts dominance through isolation tactics.
Example 2: Positioning Himself as Unaffected
“I’m good, man, albeit with lots of flaws, and you have a story where I’m the villain. That makes me unpredictable to you.”
- How it fits: Joel frames himself as impervious to criticism while portraying the target as disoriented.
4. Weaponizing Documentation & Digital Power Plays
Joel’s control tactics include strategic documentation, veiled legal threats, and mass reporting. These serve two key functions:
- To intimidate opponents into compliance.
- To maintain public positioning as an authority.
4.1 Threatening with “Documentation” & Authorities
Joel frequently references external action, implying that he has legal, institutional, or communal backing.
Example 1: Reference to Police & Legal Action
“This morning I got the number for the detectives for cyber harassment in Dallas. I’ll see what they say.”
- How it fits: Joel presents a vague but threatening legal implication, a known power move.
Example 2: Mass Reporting Strategy
“Linktree agreed. I spoke with representatives, and they took a full week to investigate.”
- How it fits: This leverages corporate authority to reinforce Joel’s power to erase content.
4.2 Controlling the Narrative Through "Receipts"
Joel frames his records as definitive truth, a strategy used to override context and alternative perspectives.
Example 1: Positioning His Documentation as Evidence
“We’ve recorded everything so we can show a judge.”
- How it fits: Joel equates selective records with objective reality, allowing him to control perception.
5. DARVO & Victim Reversal: Framing Himself as the Target
When confronted, Joel transitions from dominance to victimhood. This shields him from accountability and redirects scrutiny onto his critics.
5.1 Reframing Himself as the Victim
Joel reverses victim and offender roles by claiming persecution while enacting aggression.
Example 1: Claiming Harassment While Escalating Conflict
“Mark, fine. Your bullying is going to end. You’ve been awful to good people.”
- How it fits: Joel frames intervention as persecution, despite being the instigator.
Example 2: Deflecting His Actions Onto the Opponent
“You’re a bully and a harasser and more.”
- How it fits: Joel mirrors accusations back onto the target, a classic DARVO tactic.
6. Conclusion: The Psychological Profile of Joel Johnson
This analysis confirms that Joel Johnson exhibits a pattern of social dominance, intellectual superiority, and manipulative narrative control.
✔ He asserts superiority through dismissiveness and ridicule.
✔ He weaponizes documentation, legal threats, and mass reporting.
✔ He reframes his aggression as self-defense, engaging in DARVO.
Rather than engaging in dialogue, Joel structures interactions as contests of control, ensuring that he is never in a position of perceived weakness.
7. Future Research Recommendations
- Comparative Analysis of Digital Power Tactics Across Online Narcissists.
- AI Detection Models for Intellectual Superiority & Gaslighting.
- The Long-Term Psychological Impact of Tactical DARVO in Digital Spaces.
Final Thought: The Cost of Power-Driven Manipulation
Joel Johnson’s discourse is not about debate, discussion, or discourse. It is about dominance.
He does not seek resolution—he seeks hierarchical positioning.
He does not seek truth—he seeks control over perception.
He does not seek engagement—he seeks submission.
By understanding these tactics, we neutralize their effectiveness, ensuring that those who weaponize social dominance and intellectual superiority no longer dictate the terms of reality.