Machiavellian insults are never "one size fits all." They are engineered to exploit the specific insecurities of different personality types:
A central tenet of this approach is maintaining a "trace of anger" in your voice. Machiavelli argued that acting on raw emotion leads to errors; similarly, an insult delivered calmly suggests that you are unmoved by the opponent. The Machiavellian's Guide to Insults
Unlike common insults intended to provoke a reaction, Machiavellian barbs aim to socially undermine or discredit the target. The objective is not just to hurt feelings, but to shift the power dynamic in a social setting, making the target appear incompetent, insecure, or irrelevant to others. Machiavellian insults are never "one size fits all
: Using "ham-handed" attempts to relate or sympathize can be a powerful way to underline an opponent's weaknesses without appearing aggressive. The objective is not just to hurt feelings,