I have never seen it be managements job to manipulate anyone anywhere. It is managements job to make the business work (manage it). In some places, the agreed upon way that management does this is by manipulating, lying, cheating, etc.

Those places are toxic.

It is also possible for people and workers to become toxic as a culture, and cause otherwise fine and well meaning behavior to be perceived as toxic and make a toxic workplace for everyone due to no/ineffective action from management.

I’ve never seen it be just one side for very long, unless both sides are feeding it it.

It builds a sick system, and like all systems, it has to be self reinforcing to continue to exist.

I’m not saying everyone is perfect - far from it. I’m saying that lack of trust and perceived negative intent from others (especially in positions of authority), lack of a feeling of agency in getting a different outcome or impacting current conditions are all, etc. are a dark place to be, and one that does not help oneself get better. If you’re not even considering finding somewhere else, that produces very very bad outcomes for everyone in the long run.

If you are not considering getting help in understanding or tackling the situation from your side, that also produces bad outcomes for you long term.