Most people aren't usually subjected to behavior manipulation by people who are able to invade their life IRL. Most people aren't the subject of competitive attacks by many, many groups of people colluding to manipulate them.Not saying it's impossible, Jennifer Connelly could override my choices with %100 success. We're all products of behavioral manipulation. I'm sure there where plenty of assholes trying to work an angle on Chris around the idea guy time, (that weird group of puppet fuckers for one), but Chris chose Wise and Boyd's narrative. That's where I'm saying Chris's power of choice comes in. Which bait to bite.
Like normal behavior manipulation is like advertising. And the behavioral manipulation Chris was subjected to is like having an advertising firm have like five randos pretend to befriend you IRL over the course of six months, and then sneaking into your place to break each cell phone you buy and then after awhile suggesting you buy their brand instead.
There might be fifty groups trying to get at Chris at a given time, each trying a different ploy. That Chris picks one over the other doesn't mean Chris is choosing the manipulation. The manipulation is going to happen whether Chris wants it or not.