Do I care?

Today I read something that made me ask this question, due to practical reasons I’ll maintain this abstract. The thing is do we care when people try to manipulate us? Well if you don't see the manipulation the question never rises, but if you see it as I do most of the time, there are two main approaches humor or seriousness. ON one hand humor is quite continent to deal with things, shows that you care without the problems that might arise from a direct confrontation. If you don't care you can still use humor, I mean it is always funny to expose such things :P (a bit dark I know)... The problem with humor is when your patience is gone, or at least it is at low levels, then you really can be bother with being funny and smart about thus the serious comes into place (I could extend on this but there is no point on exposing how one comes to lose his patience).
The thing about being serious is that the question do I care? Has a whole different quonotation. If I care I’ll stop caring at that point because I am pissed off that someone would try such an idiotic move, and if it is repeated, well let’s just say I don't care for people behave like idiots. If I don't care, well then it depends on my mood, basically I might do nothing or something, depends on the point I wish to make I guess.
The point that I am trying to make is an advice, define what you want but be careful how you target to get it, you might end up causing the reverse effect for your intentions...
Sorry all this has a very specific target :P...