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I usually don't get into direct conflicts although I get a lot of passive aggressive treatment. Because I'm very serious/weird/creepy, people seem to be a bit scared of me.
I understand. My son's friends were generally terrified of me until they hung around enough to realize that no, I won't bite their heads off, and yes, I do have a twisted sense of humor once you get to know me. But the aloof/no eye contact/ straightforward no-nonsense approach is sort of a defense mechanism. I don't have much sense of who is "safe" or approachable, so I don't leave much opportunity to be approached.
I got beaten up pretty much daily growing up - either by my sadistic oldest sister or by the kids at school, until I was about 13. My coordination was abysmal and I was an easy target. The kids knew all my triggers- from tossing stinging insects in my hair (I am still not comfortable with flying insects, and I am really paranoid about strange stuff in my hair or people touching my hair) to taking my stuff, and when I get emotional- especially when I'm angry- I become completely powerless. The incessant bullying only ended when somehow I ended up with a few very big friends who liked to fight, and I learned they really liked fighting in my defense when they realized I could score them cigarettes.
Since high school I find that I intimidate a lot of people and it's not necessarily intentional, it's just that I don't warm up to people quickly (if at all.) When I do make friends, it takes me a very long time to get beyond just superficial pleasantries. I probably appear to be very cold and calculated most of the time, and I pretty much need to be that way so that I can think and communicate clearly.
Even so, I loathe conflict and generally won't pursue trivial aggravations. I don't like to negotiate anything or argue about anything because it just is mentally and emotionally draining. Most of the time even when I do have a solid argument and my rants are justified, I still end up losing the argument because I lose whatever eloquence I thought I had if I get emotional about anything.
If I could get my rational mind to engage when I'm overwhelmed with emotions I could possibly get somewhere- but Mind does not work when Emotions are in play. It just doesn't happen- so I avoid conflict mostly because I'm not adept at it, and because I generally lose anyway. That part of the way I'm wired really sucks.
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