Recently, I've unfortunately encountered passive-aggressive people on this site. I won't mention their name, but their rudeness towards me seems unnecessary (especially when I’ve posted a discussion about an interesting topic then they randomly comment something rude).
When I call them out on their behaviour, they tend to claim that I've done something wrong or project their issues onto me. I've gone back and reread the entire thread to understand what I might have said or done, but I've found that I've actually done nothing at all; I've been completely irrational.
These individuals seem unable to self-reflect or consider any perspective other than their own. It feels as though they hold me accountable for what they say or done wrong.
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It sounds like you’re dealing with some frustrating exchanges online, especially when you're just looking to have genuine discussions. The passive-aggressive behavior you're encountering—people deflecting responsibility or projecting their issues—seems to be all too common in digital spaces. Often, these dismissive responses are more a reflection of the other person’s insecurities or internal struggles than anything personal.
It might help to keep in mind that everyone’s bringing their own baggage, which sometimes spills out in ways that aren't very productive. As some of the comments have mentioned, it can be best to recognize these behaviors for what they are and not let them affect your enthusiasm for meaningful conversation. Using the mirror emoji "🪞" as a reply is a subtle way to hint at their projecting without getting tangled in the drama. Keep sharing the interesting stuff—there are definitely people out there who appreciate thoughtful, engaging conversations, even if a few passive-aggressive voices show up here and there!
@FrogManSometimesLooksBothWays Or you could be like me, invest the time and effort to take the person's profile picture, if it's one of a person or animal, reverse it, and literally put it in the reflection of a hand mirror and upload the whole thing. But then again, I pride myself on being the fastest meme in the west. Not everybody is as quick as I am, and also, what are you going to do with that picture after the first time you use it? 😆
@Punches As a matter of fact, I have an advanced degree in psychology awarded by the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa where my faculty adviser was Dr. Heinrich Schnooterholdsteinvernichtigungs. He had been a star pupil at the University of Vienna where he studied with Professor Dr. Sigmund Freud. Dr. Schnooterholdsteinvernichtigungs.was nominated 6 times for the Nobel Prize in medicine and I was honored to be his pupil.
