The root of all power is the control of information, and the narrative justifying it. I haven't read the whole thing yet, but most of the first 15 or so of the "48 Laws of Power" by Robert Greene, these elements all hinge upon controlling perception and poisoning/restricting information flow. The Art of War by Sun Tzu also repeatedly dwells on the point of controlling perception - to seek to always appear the opposite to the real internal state, makes the enemy always step wrong.

This also brings up the whole game theory part of it, and that is why one of the key acts of a manipulator is to demand the victim become psychically naked using public confession. It creates a false sense of membership that the gullible normies don't even realise is motivating them.

I think that if you are in a position where you are justifying it to someone who is trying to exert power over you, you are already within the primary parts of the cage they are making for your mind. First rule of privacy is that none should know a secret that gives them control of property they have not honestly acquired.