User blog comment:DYBAD/Character Sheet/@comment-24955665-20180112202720/@comment-4867780-20180113024101

Hey Deathisnothing ! Always a pleasure to answer them ^ ^

1. Lawrence would consider a power like Social Magnetism as below him, since the accumulation of his massive natural assets (intelligence, knowledge, beauty, charisma, talents, resources, etc.) already grant him a borderline supernatural social power, so SM would come off as a cheap trick for lesser beings who lack the aforementioned assets.

2. I think that depends on the situation. Such a power inherently interferes with others' feelings by inducing some that weren't there before, so it does compromise the idea of free will, and you can be sure they will resent you a lot if they ever find out about it.

On the other hand, a large part of our feelings is misguided and unfair, the product of random environmental factors, biased interpretations and constant emotional manipulations of pretty much everyone around us (we all manipulate each others in countless direct and indirect ways, consciously or not - there is no social life without boatloads of manipulation).

So you could say our "true" feelings are already fake enough, and that such a power would simply be a more effective tool to get the popularity and favors we want. Pretty cynical, but probably the more accurate interpretation regarding real life.

In the end and as usual, power is just a tool and good or bad depends on how you use it.

If you use it to become a positive influence in a pretty fucked up social environment and keep the personal perks within reasonable boundaries, then it's fair play and criticizers are envious hypocrites who would do a lot worse in your place.

If you just take whatever you want with little to no concern for others' well-being, then you are a toxic parasite and they have excellent reasons to hate you, and want you permanently neutralized by any means necessary once they find out.