March 05, 2009

Passive-aggressive

Originally published November 19, 2003

I had a conversation with a fellow blogger today about trolls. She believes that all trolls are typical passive-aggressive personalities. I disagree. I believe that trolls are simply assholes.

I took a lot of supervisory skills training over the years and I recognize a passive-aggressive response when I see one. That's the catty remark, the barbed compliment and the insult dripping with honey. I use that technique myself sometimes. It's very effective when your goal is to piss someone off while smiling like an angel in his or her face when you do it. It works.

Trolls are not that subtle. They are simply assholes.

I prefer the aggressive-aggressive approach myself, because it suits my nature, but there is a lot to be said for the left-handed insult, the passive-aggressive slant. Wimmen are BORN knowing how to do it with consumate skill. Listen to them sometimes.

"Oh, Lola, that black dress looks really GOOD on you! If I didn't know better, I'd think you lost 20 pounds!" (Translation: Lola, you're still FAT! You're just trying to hide it.)

That's passive-aggressive, and that's what wimmen do. Guys are much more likely to say, "Jim, you look like Fido's ass in that suit. What homeless guy did you steal that piece of shit from? It looks like you slept in it and it smells like you pissed in it. Goddam, man! Where's your pride?" (Translation: well... that suit looks like shit and I never liked you anyway, Jim.)

Of course, scenes such as those are why guys have fistfights at parties and wimmen seldom do. Wimmen just go home all bitched-up and take their wrath out on their innocent husbands. That's passive-aggressive behavior.

Cats are passive-aggressive most of the time. That's why I hate them.