Originally Posted by Rodney

Is it bad? No, but it's not healthy. When somebody messes with me and then gets some bad luck, I don't necessarily feel good about it. I _do_ feel some satisfaction if he/she got into trouble for doing the same sort of crap he's prone to do. But that satisfaction is there because the universe is teaching him a lesson, and the consequences of his bad behavior are coming home to roost.

I knew a guy who was one of the most professionally manipulative people you ever met. He _studied_ how to manipulate people, and he manipulated me a few times. I came to realize that the reason he was so into control of those around him was that he had little or no control or knowledge about how he, himself ticked. He was one of these guys whose life was punctuated by periodic disasters -- health problems, thefts, monetary loss, lawsuits -- all caused by his own actions, and he never figured it out. Every so often I hear about some new trainwreck in his life and I just shake my head -- and I _really_ don't like this guy. It's sad. If he actually could address his own problems, he probably wouldn't be such a bastard. But he can't. And he goes through one disaster after another.