Turn Left, Turn Right

What’s Really Happening When Narcy Says, "Turn Left, No—Right!"

This comic captures a tactic used by narcissists: creating chaos in everyday scenarios to keep control. Narcy barks frantic directions while the GPS calmly suggests a safe route.

The goal isn’t to arrive—it’s to destabilize the victim and trigger a reaction.

• Chaos as Control: Narcy overrides the GPS to insert herself as the authority figure.
• Emotional Hijacking: When the victim reacts, she flips the blame—"I was just trying to help!"
• Sabotage of Peace: Instead of moving forward, she creates a loop of guilt, stress, and reversal.

This isn’t poor navigation—it’s psychological navigation. And the destination is *her control*.

At first glance, it might seem playful. A harmless case of backseat driving gone slightly overboard. But don’t be fooled.

This is not light-hearted teasing. This is strategic disorientation. And for the person behind the wheel, it's more than annoying—it's panic-inducing. It’s a real-time demonstration of how a narcissist manipulates control through manufactured chaos.

You’re driving to an unfamiliar destination. The GPS is calmly doing its job. You’ve got a basic idea of where you’re headed. But then…

“Turn left!” “Wait—no, right! I said right! Now you missed it. Ugh. Get in that lane. No, that one. Turn now—no, NOT THERE!”

It’s a barrage. Not a conversation. Not helpful. It’s a crescendo of rapid-fire commands that feel more like a hostage negotiation than a ride to dinner. You miss a turn. You’re unsure if it’s safe to switch lanes. She says you're overreacting. You're yelling now, but it's not out of anger—it's out of panic. Meanwhile, she pouts.

“I wasn’t mad. You just took it the wrong way. I was only trying to help.”

• Inducing Anxiety to Create Dependency: She overrides the GPS—not because it’s wrong, but because it’s not her.
• Shifting the Blame: Once you react, she rewrites the story. Now she’s the victim.
• Emotional Bait and Switch: When asked to stop, she drops into martyr mode: “Let’s just go back home.”

This behavior is not playful. It is a controlled escalation designed to hijack your emotional state. Your confusion is the point. She thrives on it because it shifts the power balance. She always rewrites the narrative. Your reaction becomes the problem, not her manipulation. And it doesn’t just happen in the car. It happens in finances, social plans, emotional discussions—anywhere she can insert it.