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Qanon #3507
[Smoke & Mirrors]

smoke (n.1)

late Old English smoca (rare) “fumes and volatile material given off by burning substances,” related to smeocan “give off smoke,” from Proto-Germanic *smuk- (source also of Middle Dutch smooc, Dutch smook, Middle High German smouch, German Schmauch), from PIE root *smeug- “to smoke; smoke” (source also of Armenian mux “smoke,” Greek smykhein “to burn with smoldering flame,” Old Irish much, Welsh mwg “smoke”).

There is no fyre without some smoke [Heywood, 1562]

smoke-screen (n.)
1915, as a form of military camouflage, from smoke (n.1) + screen (n.); 1926 in the figurative sense. The association of smoke with “deception, deliberate obscurity” dates back to at least 1560s.

mirror (n.)

mid-13c., mirour, “polished surface (of metal, coated glass, etc.) used to reflect images of objects,” especially the face of a person, from Old French mireoir “a reflecting glass, looking glass; observation, model, example,” earlier miradoir (11c.), from mirer “look at” (oneself in a mirror), “observe, watch, contemplate,” from Vulgar Latin *mirare “to look at,” variant of Latin mirari “to wonder at, admire” (see miracle).

The Spanish cognate, mirador (from mirar “to look, look at, behold”), has come to mean “watch tower, gallery commanding an extensive view.” Latin speculum “mirror” (or its Medieval Latin variant speglum) is the source of words for “mirror” in neighboring languages: Italian specchio, Spanish espejo, Old High German spiegal, German Spiegel, Dutch spiegel, Danish spejl, Swedish spegel. An ancient Germanic group of words for “mirror” is represented by Gothic skuggwa, Old Norse skuggsja, Old High German scucar, which are related to Old English scua “shade, shadow.”

Words for ‘mirror’ are mostly from verbs for ‘look’, with a few words for ‘shadow’ or other sources. The common use of the word for the material ‘glass’ in the sense of ‘mirror’ seems to be peculiar to English. [Carl Darling Buck, “A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms in the Principal Indo-European Languages,” 1949]

Figurative use, “that in or by which anything is shown or exemplified,” hence “a model (of good or virtuous conduct)” is attested from c. 1300. Mirrors have been used in divination since classical and biblical times, and according to folklorists, in modern England they are the subject of at least 14 known superstitions. Belief that breaking one brings bad luck is attested from 1777. Mirror image “something identical to another but having right and left reversed” is by 1864. Mirror ball attested from 1968. To look in (the) mirror in the figurative sense of “examine oneself” is by early 15c.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoke_and_mirrors

Smoke and mirrors is a classic technique in magical illusions that makes an entity appear to hover in empty space. It was documented as early as 1770 and spread widely after its use by the charlatan Johann Georg Schröpfer, who claimed the apparitions to be conjured spirits. It subsequently became a fixture of 19th-century phantasmagoria shows. The illusion relies on a hidden projector (known then as a magic lantern) the beam of which reflects off a mirror into a cloud of smoke, which in turn scatters the beam to create an image.

The phrase smoke and mirrors has entered common English use to refer to any proposal that, when examined closely, proves to be an illusion.

Mirror Flower, Water Moon (simplified Chinese: literally Mirror Flower, Water Moon), is an East Asian proverb/phrase, meaning something that can be seen but not touched, like a flower reflected in a mirror or the moon reflected on the water’s surface; something that is beautiful but unattainable dreams, a mirage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantasmagoria

French phantasmagorie, from Ancient Greek (phantasma, ghost) + possibly either & (agora, assembly, gathering) + the suffix -ia or (agoreu;, to speak publicly).

Phantasmagoria (About this soundAmerican pronunciation (help·info), also fantasmagorie, fantasmagoria) was a form of horror theatre that (among other techniques) used one or more magic lanterns to project frightening images such as skeletons, demons, and ghosts onto walls, smoke, or semi-transparent screens, typically using rear projection to keep the lantern out of sight. Mobile or portable projectors were used, allowing the projected image to move and change size on the screen, and multiple projecting devices allowed for quick switching of different images. In many shows the use of spooky decoration, total darkness, (auto-)suggestive verbal presentation, and sound effects were also key elements. Some shows added all kinds of sensory stimulation, including smells and electric shocks. Even required fasting, fatigue (late shows) and drugs have been mentioned as methods of making sure spectators would be more convinced of what they saw. The shows started under the guise of actual séances in Germany in the late 18th century, and gained popularity through most of Europe (including Britain) throughout the 19th century.

Who is always gazing into a mirror?

http://www.thenarcissisticpersonality.com/narcissistic-ploys/

Excerpts

When a narcissist partner is being nice, it’s typically because he has a devastating discard or, at the very least, a silent treatment planned for you in the very near future. When a narcissist can catch us off-guard, he gets the most bang for his narcissistic buck. It’s no fun hurting his victim if she knows it’s coming. So, beware of narcissists bearing niceties.

Whenever a narcissistic partner accuses you of something, it’s because that is exactly what he’s up to at that moment in his life. If you pay attention to this, you will see that it is fool-proof. Oftentimes, we’re too busy getting hysterical over a narcissist’s ludicrous accusation to stop and and listen to exactly what he’s saying. And while an N will never admit to a wrongdoing, he will, in fact, accuse you of what he happens to be doing. Quietly consider every accusation as an admission and do your investigation from there. Trust me, it works.

Once you realize the smoke and mirrors antics for exactly what they are, you are well on your way to knowing exactly what this monster is up to during any given moment. Turn his narcissistic ploys into your advantage. Like children, narcissists will always give themselves away. In essence, a narcissist will “tell on” himself by accusing you of what he’s really doing behind your back.

Triangulation is a passive-aggressive manipulation tactic used by narcissists and sociopaths to instill feelings of jealousy and insecurity in their partners. It’s a tactic by which narcissists can create thrilling illusions of popularity, making themselves out to be far busier and more socially-in-demand outside of the relationship than they really are.