system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: "Gaslighting"

I have been hearing this a lot in political conversations...
gpt
Gaslighting is a form of psychological manipulation/abuse where you deceive someone to the point where they begin to question their own reality and sanity. It is probably better explained via an example.

Let's say you had a brother growing up. Then, one day, you came home, and there was no trace of him. He isn't in any pictures, all of this things are gone, and no one you talk to recalls him.

Let's also say that this is a big deception. Everyone is in on the conspiracy. Your brother has moved away, your parents replaced all the pictures and got rid of all of his stuff, and everyone else is feigning ignorance.

But the deception is so thorough, and they are so adamant about the lie and stick to it so well that you begin to question your own memories of your brother to the point where you begin to consider not that everyone is lying to you, but that they are right and you are just crazy.

EDIT:

Some people are getting this confused with the Mandela Effect. I'll admit they are similar but there are some crucial differences:

1. They both involve questioning ones memories, but in the Mandela effect the memories are false, with Gas Lighting the memories are true.

2. Mandela effect originates with the person experiencing the effect when confronted with a contrary but true reality. It is not fully understood and is a psychological phenomenon. Gas Lighting is a form of psychological abuse that originates externally, from the person presenting the false reality.

3. The Mandela effect is unintentional whereas Gas Lighting is malicious and deliberate.

EDIT2:

Yes, the Asian-Jim joke in the Office is a humorous example of Gas Lighting.