1503 Passive Aggression

There are two different kinds of aggression, though only the masculine manifestation, violence & threats, is socially acceptable to point out, prevent & punish. Passive aggression, where the words & demeanor of the person exhibiting it, usually females, are non-threatening, but often just as effective in accomplishing the intent to get somebody else to comply with their will. Passive aggression is everywhere: in the way things are worded, body language, rules that apply disproportionately to different people, lack of courtesy, tardiness, making promises that aren’t intended to be kept, disingenuous debate, and a host of other subtle slights that don’t quite rise to the level of a response by those being disrespected, but intended to manipulate the person or make them angry. Passive aggression is almost impossible to counter because it’s usually tacitly supported by others in the peer group who feel the same way, who also get a rise in status & dominance at the expense of the victim. Some people are adept at countering passive aggression with passive aggression, but the best defensive tactic is to extract oneself from the situation, noting the perpetrator as untrustworthy, someone to remain cautious of during any further interaction. Unfortunately, separating from the situation is often impossible, so becoming aware of when it’s happening, and taking it as a warning to be suspicious of detrimental ulterior motives is all you can do.