Aggressive behavior

Techniques > Assertiveness > Aggressive behavior

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Aggressive behavior means standing up for your rights, but in a way that violates the rights of other people. It means saying what you believe in a way that assumes that it the only truth, and that any contradictory statement is wrong.

Aggressive people often uses anger, aggressive body language other threatening behavior to bully, subjugate and dominate other people. They will use punishing language to infer guilt and create shame. The will use overt techniques of conversion to create unquestioning compliance.

Example

You're so stupid. Just do as I say and don't ask questions.

What! Are you arguing with me!! How dare you!!!

Was that you? You know you shouldn't have done that.

Discussion

The core assumption of aggressive behavior is that the aggressor is superior to others in some way, and hence that other people have lesser rights and less valid truths than you.

The result of aggressive behavior is that the aggressor gets much of what they want whilst losing the respect of other people. Whilst aggressive people appear to have friends, these are often passive people who either fear leaving or seek protection.

If you can cow another person then they are less likely to assertively or aggressively stand up for their rights. The goal of much aggressive behavior is to create passive behavior in others.

Aggressive people often have deep fears that they project onto other people. Bullies are often cowards who use aggression as a method of attack that pre-empts others attacking them. Where they fear particular people, they may displace their revenge onto unwitting victims.