the ethics of gaslighting

[Advocate]

When you're stuck in a situation where the best outcome is obvious and positive for everyone but rejected by whoever's actually in control (probably for ego reasons), it is ethical to convince them to do the right thing for the wrong reason. The larger problem is that people who aren't capable of choosing the right decision on their own are granted power over others, particularly those who are, and the mitigation of that problem requires the lesser evil of gaslighting sometimes. As always, use least-harmful means to accomplish your objective.