Passive-Aggression

[death metal black metal]

What is passive aggression?

It is the opposite of honesty: instead of stating what you think, you say something provocative but from a passive (non-attacking) position, hoping to provoke the other party into a more extreme reaction so you can play the victim.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive-aggressive_behavior

[crow]

Hmmm.
That would explain - sort of - why certain uberly-aggressive internet-types tend to accuse me of being passive-aggressive. Whereas nobody ever has, face to face.
I've been practising honesty for so long that I do it in my sleep.
In an online confrontation I prefer to remain calm, since it is beyond my abilities to punch out dickheads over a wifi network.
Calm, in the face of ranting abuse, is so rare, that it gets interpreted as passive-aggression.
All becomes clear.

[death metal black metal]

People on the internet make many accusations, none of them are serious. It starts with the obvious stuff: jerk, sexist, racist, classist, ageist, etc. Then they get on to the pseudo-psychology.

The mark of a passive aggressive person is not calm; it's a deliberate attempt to provoke by playing the victim. It takes many forms after that.

[anal_rapist]

That's just like, um, your opinion, man.

[crow]

Seems a pretty reasonable opinion, nonetheless.

[Humanicide]

That would explain - sort of - why certain uberly-aggressive internet-types tend to accuse me of being passive-aggressive.

That's a pretty passive-aggressive statement.

But anyway, it's quite common nowadays to encounter this behavior. Modern mentality really plays to victimhood, why else would this be so prevalent?

[crow]

See, I view your statement as passive-aggression.
There was no need for it, nothing to be gained, no traction.
Why did you feel the need to say it?

[Humanicide]

The only reason I said it was for my own amusement. At least the first part, the second part was trying to stimulate some insight or conversation on the topic.

[crow]

It amuses you to level accusations at people that could cause suffering to them.
Even though you may not believe it to be true, re: the term 'only'.
This, you see, is the part I don't understand.
Causing pain for personal amusement.
Admins refer to this sort of thing as 'toxic'.

Maybe better to stimulate insight and/or conversation by doing just that, and omitting the toxic bit.
Why manufacture enmity?

[Humanicide]

It amuses you to level accusations at people that could cause suffering to them.
Even though you may not believe it to be true, re: the term 'only'.
This, you see, is the part I don't understand.
Causing pain for personal amusement.
Admins refer to this sort of thing as 'toxic'.

Maybe better to stimulate insight and/or conversation by doing just that, and omitting the toxic bit.
Why manufacture enmity?

Because I can't resist a little trolling. Making jabs at one another makes this place more laid back.

Besides, what's life without some teasing? Don't take everything on here too personally. 

[death metal black metal]

The internet in general is passive aggressive. Here, we're trying to deprogram ourselves. And if you insult me, it's because you're not respecting my equal rights as a sovereign human individual!!1!

[crow]

If you insult me, you interfere with the free exchange of ideas that would otherwise have been able to occur, causing useless conflict to ensue, instead. Likewise, if I insult you.
Humans react to stimuli. They may be practised in the art of not showing it, but the reaction remains.
Like/don't like.
Agree/disagree.
Engage/disengage.

Human rights be damned.