Future Faking - Dan Cassenti, Novelist

Concept: To manipulate others into acting in specific ways, narcissists often create narratives about sharing the desire to fulfill goals they know others have. When someone performs these acts, it may come as a shock when the narcissist does not end up acting to pursue the goal. Narcissists have no moral boundary against breaking promises and lying about their goals and intentions and will do so to serve their needs.

How this leads to greater control over a victim: Convincing someone of shared goals creates a sense of allyship. Future faking builds confidence in a narcissist’s narrative; thus, victims strive to serve the narcissist’s needs and continue service until the victim discovers the truth and gets on the path of transformation from victim to survivor.

Examples:

Two business leaders create a merger based on the promise that the selling party will retain an executive position only to get fired as soon as the new boss can do so without legal consequences.
A cult leader convinces cult members to panhandle on the streets of a city and brings the proceeds back so that they can support better communal living. The leader uses most of the money to supply furniture for his home on the compound.
A woman convinces her boyfriend to get married and have a family, so she can seize some of his assets when she divorces him months later.

Advice: If you notice signs of narcissism in someone, expect this person to lie about their future intentions and break promises when the promised action does not serve them. The expectation will lead to diminished trust and eventual abandonment of the narcissistic relationship.

Narcissism Encyclopedia

Techniques