Yeah, I also see “manipulation” in the bad sense of the word as “making me do X without me knowing that I am pushed towards X”. (Or, in more coercive situations, with me knowing, disagreeing with the goal, but being unable to do anything about it.)
Teaching people, coaching them, curing their addictions, etc., as long as this is explicitly what they wanted (without any hidden extras), it is a “manipulation” in the technical sense of the word, but it is not evil.
Yeah, I also see “manipulation” in the bad sense of the word as “making me do X without me knowing that I am pushed towards X”. (Or, in more coercive situations, with me knowing, disagreeing with the goal, but being unable to do anything about it.)
Teaching people, coaching them, curing their addictions, etc., as long as this is explicitly what they wanted (without any hidden extras), it is a “manipulation” in the technical sense of the word, but it is not evil.