True enough and as far as people being “toxic”, I’m comfortable in my own skin and it takes a whole lot to get under it so it’s a “no worries” kind of thing. All things in life are a challenge in one way or another so sometimes the people who place themselves around us are mental building materials which might actually strengthen us in the long run. Unless it’s a have to situation, running away from them simply gives us yet another reason to doubt our own abilities.
Probably how I react to any of this kind of behavior in question depends on the situation and my mood, and whether I can see if there is some kind of pain or suffering that is prompting unkind, hurtful, or boundary-violating behavior. But I've learned that it's not worth the energy it takes most of the time, especially online, to interact with people who are conversationally aggressive (and thereby obnoxious, toxic, narcissistic) and I aim to be beyond needing to prove a point or prove my view is right, so I will most often choose to just ignore the agitator / provocateur. IOW, when they go low, we go high.
@Silvia Benoit I agree with you. Sensitivity and perception are both very legitimate feelings, especially if they’re MINE. But feelings aren’t facts. If you (or I) feel the need to distance ourselves from another, then that’s what we should do and if that improves my life, so be it. Maybe we have allergic reactions to people sometimes. Since you spoke with friends and didn’t like the solutions that they offered to you, I now suppose it was foolish of me to think that you might consider the words of mine, a stranger to you, to be useful. Maybe we should avoid each other, at least about this topic. Shalom, namaste! (^_^)
Jack The fact you are an stranger makes no difference; sometimes the word a person we don't now face to face opens our eyes and shows us a venue unknown until them....but it only means there are other ways to analyze situations, Now, when the person you define as toxic is one who lives looing at the negative in ALL people / things the issue goes beyond sensitivity and perception. Gee, it would be very ignorant of me not to listen to other person's opinion.
@Silvia I agree. Especially if it were me and all I saw were negativity in ALL. I’d wonder if I were looking in a mirror or maybe I was finding what I sought, without truly realizing I was looking for something at all. Life’s too short to be spent with toxic people, in toxic situations or with toxic things. I’m positive of it, for me!
IOW's those with whom you disagree with. We all have good and bad tendacies although some more so than others. But all this new age BS about groups of people is just that 'groups of people' who agree and anyone outside that group is named negatively. No free speech, no individuality. Not unlike Antifa or BLM only wearing the conservative freedom banners. People will not debate because that actually means effort or study. It is just more doublespeak .Of ourse this is my opjnion because I wrote it..
Just remember, Silvia, what's "toxic" to one person, isn't necessarily "toxic" to another. There are those with a great sense of humor and those that are totally serious. My SIL (wife's older sister) has a very serious personality as well as any friends she has. She never/ever understands any joking around that I do with her.
Just remember, Cody, we are free to do what we thing is correct. If I feel a person is toxic I don't deal with him / her.
But, I'll repeat this............it can depend on what you think is toxic. There are those that think funny, humorous, sometimes sarcastic people are toxic. These kind of folks couldn't stand to watch a on-stage comic do a routine. But, you do sound like a very serious person, just like my SIL. And, there is nothing wrong with being a "serious person", as long as serious people stay around their kind.
Sooner or later you will run out of people who don't bother you. My kids ,grandkids,friends etc.etc.etc. are all 'toxic' at times according to what I'm seeing.
Some people just look for the worst in others,I'm guilty of that especially on my bad days.Its hard to be humble,
But of course, Cody, it depends on my definition of toxicity...IAW, is my right and privilege. Did you have enough on this matter? I did.