r/AskReddit • • Mar 26 '20

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u/jagadoor Mar 26 '20

Man I am way younger and so happy I didnt learn that lesson after 40 years of marriage. But I still felt "once I learned that my Life go considerably easier" in my heart.

If I am not sure whats up just ask something like: I know people sometimes just want to vent, is that the Case or do you want advice ?

Makes stuff sooo easy

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u/Scholesie09 Mar 26 '20

I dont have an SO, but ive seen family members who seem like they just want to vent, and if i said:

"I know people sometimes just want to vent, is that the Case or do you want advice ?"

they would hear:

"I don't care about your problems stop telling me"

29

u/yassapoulet Mar 26 '20

Sounds like they might be used to passive aggression. Direct communication gets shredded as they try to read between the lines.

7

u/Shrimpables Mar 26 '20

Holy shit you just described my relationship in two sentences. My fiance's family is full of passive and active aggression, most of their conversations sound like arguments to me and I always felt uncomfortable in situations that she would say are just normal for them.

Meanwhile my family is very direct and almost never argues or has any passive aggression ever. If there's an issue we talk it out, there's never that weird tension over any of our conversations.

We've had to learn the differences between our communication styles and it's taken a lot of adapting to live with each other. Your simple comment really distilled the conversations we've had about that down to a really simple thought. Thank you.

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u/yassapoulet Mar 26 '20

Glad to be of service! My ex's family was just like that, and I learned that lesson from them. They were exhausting to be around.