Consensus? We don't need no stinkin' consensus...

[aluger at hushmail.com]

At Mon, 12 Mar 2001 18:43:55 -0600 (CST), Jim Choate <ravage at EINSTEIN.ssz.com> 
wrote:

>Resentment? I'm not resentful. I'm engulfed in a melange of shock, horror,
>and hillarity. The insanity of man against man, and the hoops they'll 
>jump through to get satisfaction. After all, it's not entertainment but
>satisfaction that is what drives mankind.

PAPD Ambivalence:

PAPD ambivalence is expressed behaviorally by vacillation between negativism/autonomy 
and dependency/conformity. However, even when conforming, these individuals 
tend to be contrary, unaccommodating, sulking, pessimistic, and complaining 
(Kubacki & Smith, Retzlaff, ed., 1995, p. 175). People with PAPD will behave 
obediently one time and defiantly the next. They will be self-deprecating 
and express guilt for failing to meet expectations in one situation and 
express stubborn negativism and resistance in another. They fluctuate between 
deference and defiance, between obedience and aggressive negativism. Their 
behavior will go from explosive anger or stubbornness to periods of guilt 
and shame (Millon & Davis, Clarkin & Lenzenweger, eds., 1996, p. 309). 

>What consensus might that be? The 'crypto-anarchy' good-old-boy consensus?
>The Freidman'esk "making money justifies all wrongs" contingent? The 
>"It's wrong they regulate any of my actions, but I'm going to regulate 
yours."?
>team. Or perhaps "I'm too damn lazy to start my own node and take the 
>heat but I'll sure bitch and whine when others don't do as I say" clan?

Individuals with PAPD will express their rage overtly and directly. Aggressive 
PAPD behavior is intended to inflict discomfort, hurt, harm, injury, or 
destruction. These individuals have a disposition toward anger and aggression 
-- referred to irritability (Lish, et.al., Costello, ed., 1996, p. 32). 
They may have temper tantrums that release pent-up aggression; if their 
victim is aggressive in response -- so much the better. That response is 
then used to vindicate the initial attack. Anger expressed by commission 
is usually justified by laudable motives, e.g. concern for the well-being 
of the victim. The expression of the anger is dictated by the desire to 
wound while concealing the intention to wound -- even the existence of the 
anger. This is not to spare the feelings of the victim but to wound them 
more effectively. The intent is to provoke counteranger with such subtlety 
that the victim blames himself and believes his anger is not justified. 
That way, people with PAPD can assume the role of innocent victim (Kantor,
 1992, pp. 178-180). They may make directly hostile statements because they 
fail to perceive their own motivating attitude, perceive their hostility 
too late, or believe that their attitude can be concealed. 

>There is no authority on 'the' list because there are 8 lists that share 
>a common backbone (by consensus of the operators, not users, I might add).
>The only parties who have authority to impose any sort of list behaviour 
>regulations are the specific operators of those mail reflectors. We 
>have several that limit what goes out to their subscribers, I don't believe 
>we have any that limit what their subscribers may submit. However, that 
>is clearly within the scope of the current agreement. Start a list and 
>filter both ends. A 2-way list if you will ;)

Individuals with passive-aggressive (negativistic) personality disorder 
utilize three main strategies to defend themselves: displacement, externalization,
 and opposition. The most consistent PAPD defense mechanism is displacement. 
These individuals shift their anger away from more powerful targets to those 
of lesser significance. They express their hostility toward others who are 
less likely to be able to retaliate or reject them. 

>I would think that a group so sophisticated as you claim to be, and 
>as motivated by money would recognize the simple dicta "Money speaks". 
>What you boys are pissed off 'bout is that it's my money doin' the speakin' 
>and it ain't what ya expected.

People with PAPD externalize their focus and cannot accept blame for any 
of their shortcomings (Stone, 1993, p. 361). They deny or refuse awareness 
of their own provocative behavior, the serious negative consequences of 
their maladaptive responses, and responsibility for the behavioral choices 
they make. Instead, they focus on the many grievances they have toward others. 
They focus on the behavior of others and externalize responsibility for 
their destructive actions. 

>The majority of subscribers don't ever post, they sit there and get 
>the occassional techie item and sit about laughing their asses off. I'm 
>glad they find joy and humor in this. It is after all hilarious at times.

This behavior is often well tolerated in highly conflicted family systems. 
They will also find a place in work settings where there are relatively 
few consequences to nonproductive behavior and there are either few rewards 
or rewards are distributed arbitrarily (Richards, 1993, p. 259). 

PAPD behavior is basically oppositional and provocative. While these individuals 
may seem, on occasion, to be compliant and agreeable, they are judgmental,
 irritable, and easily frustrated. They resist adequate performance through 
stubbornness, forgetfulness, lateness, deliberate inefficiency, and procrastination 
(Sperry & Carlson, 1993, p. 336). The opposite of the behavior appropriate 
to a given situation is the one most likely to be expressed by individuals 
with PAPD -- hence the negativistic personality.  

>Do what you will, start your own list, filter me, start another node,
>keep bitching. Whatever. If I have something to say I'm going to say it. 
>I'll do my best to keep it short and too the point. I don't make any promise 
>it will be related to any point you might have however.

These individuals express an irritable or sour mood; aggression is usually 
pouting and complaining. They are frequently depressed or sulking and gain 
perverse pleasure in raining on everyone's parade -- even their own (Richards,
 1993, p. 258). These individuals focus on the negative; they are moody 
and pessimistic (Beck & Freeman, 1990, p. 334). 

It is typical for passive-aggressive individuals to be cynical, doubting,
 and untrusting. They approach most events in their lives with a measure 
of disbelief and skepticism. Future possibilities are approached with trepidation. 
Most tend to be whiny and grumbling in their approach to life and voice 
disdain and caustic comments toward people who are experiencing good fortune 
(Millon & Davis, 1996, p. 551). These individuals tend to be quite articulate 
in describing their discomfort but rarely explore or seek to understand 
what is wrong. They do not recognize their own inner conflicts as contributing 
to their difficulties. They are often preoccupied with personal inadequacies,
 body ailments, and guilt; this alternates with equal preoccupation with 
social resentment, frustration, and disillusionment. They complain about 
the sorry state of their lives; they would like to feel better but seem 
unable or unwilling to find a solution to their difficulties (Millon, 1981,
 p. 255). 

>After all, how serious can you take somebody who is more concerned about
>the word 'whore' and 'police' in the same sentence than the fact that 
>the sentence is even being considered at all? Pull your head out of your 
>ass. If western civilization is going to tumble down because of my .sig 
then
>it's already dead.

They may remain unaware of the implications of their behavior or words (Kantor,
 1992, p. 178). PAPD avoidance of taking responsibility for the provocative 
consequences of anger produces paranoid overtones. These individuals are 
often surprised at the response they provoke; they typically deny having 
given cause for the angry responses they receive or they accuse others of 
overreacting. Many of these individuals will endure growing isolation rather 
than alter or give up what they believe to be their right to free expression 
(Kantor, 1992, p. 182). 

Major depressive episodes are not uncommon. In the PAPD depressive cycles,
 there is evidence of a tendency to blame others, a demanding and complaining 
attitude, and low self-confidence. These individuals are most likely to 
experience chronic dysthymia. Typically, individuals with PAPD display an 
agitated dysphoria, shifting between anxious futility and self-deprecation 
to demanding irritability and bitter discontent (Millon, 1996, pp. 198-199). 

>Duh.

The passive-aggressive personality disorder might be described as a compulsive 
personality with an attitude. 

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