[Jugurtha]

Maybe you truly weren't being sexist and you were so shocked as to create this thread because it deeply wounded you. Then again, maybe you are sexist and created this thread to have a trail that makes you appear distraught and violated when this thing blows up and say "See! Would I be so vexed as to create an HN thread if I were sexist!", playing the long con (it takes a special kind of mind to think like that)..

Joking aside...

Have you read Robert Ringer's "Winning Through Intimidation"?

As the name doesn't imply, it's not about winning through intimidation, quite the opposite, it's about how to detect attempts to intimidate, manipulate, and take advantage of you, and what to do about it. It exposes some patterns many abusers use (appeal to honesty, accusations to entice apologies and guilt, etc).

The author talks about many instances where he got screwed and what he learned from his master manipulators.

A good week-end read.