# 19. Timing Games ## 19.5. Methodology/Refinements/Sub-species ### 19.5.1. Sword of Damocles Here, the manipulator uses the threat of deadlines to pressure victims into making decisions. A victim becomes obliged to make "time-boxed" decisions which are often not in their best interests. A typical example could be, "if you don't buy these shares now, then by next week the price will have doubled". The pressure to act alters the victim's rational view of the relationship between stock prices and time. We all know that stock prices hardly ever double in a week and that when they do, they often collapse even more rapidly soon afterwards. Nonetheless, the sword of Damocles starts to swing above our heads and the fear of missing a good deal often eclipses common sense. A manipulator may even infer that not only will we miss an opportunity but that doing nothing may also be dangerous to our current investments.