Raccoon Toons

I dislike passive aggressivism.  Aggressivism? Is that even a word? Um…passive aggressiveness? My spell checker seems to like that one better. Regardless, however you spell it, I am not a fan.

Now, I will admit I’ve done my fair share of “mind games” in relationships. I’ve tried many times to master the game of chess that is played while in the court of courtship. Sometimes I win. Sometimes I lose. Sometimes I lose on purpose. But one of the “games” that I’ve decided to cease playing altogether is that of being passive aggressive. It’s just ridiculous. I won’t put it up it. Not only does it accomplish nothing, but it usually just makes things worse.

As a youth, I think I was a bit of a slave to this type of behavior. I think I was manipulated at times by this tactic and I know I foolishly used it on others. Then one day, a girl I knew admitted casually that she had been purposely ignoring someone she had been dating just to see how hard he would chase her. She figured that if he really cared about her, he would pursue her harder. He didn’t, and they stopped dating.

When I heard her plan, a light bulb went on in my head and I realized how completely idiotic that type of behavior is. The whole of our relationships, whether they be with significant others, friends, family, or coworkers, are based entirely on communication. When you try to impede that purposefully, you are effectively damaging that relationship.

Fortunately in this comic strip, Wendy appears to have just lost interest. Then again…maybe that’s just what she wants us to think…