Good salesman have empathy, remember it is every day mind reading. The person with the greatest capacity for empathy always wins out in the end. He used his information to manipulate, lovers do this all the time. That is why empathy leads to real love not image love. So, empathy can be a form of manipulation.
People can read the other accurately and then use that info to hurt or to help.
Empathy is accurately reading another, it can be both sword and shield, it is a paradox. The good news is it allows us to find real love rather than falling for images. Images cannot be maintained over time. Exactly, when you develop this capacity to the max you are very discerning. I tried to really focus on what really works to provide true intimacy and health.