On a microcosm level, that's the MO my father took.
My father was a malignant narcissist.
He targeted me, criticized me, punished me, threatened me, etc. because I was "on" to him. He couldn't gaslight and fool me, and he knew I knew.
He went after me to send a signal to my mother, my sister, and my brother not to challenge him. He was in charge, and we weren't free to criticize where it was warranted. (Dad didn't have good judgment.)
While Dad is dead, my sister has taken on his role to keep me in my place. Except I haven't let her. She doesn't have the economic power, familial power, the psychological power to do that. I stood up to our father and I stand up to her.
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