Do you do stuff to deliberately annoy others?

[EveSix]

Just read a comment on a different thread where a poster stated that as they realised other posters found a particular action irritating (something quite inconsequential, but annoying to some), said poster said they felt inclined to do this thing more frequently. A subsequent poster immediately agreed.

It doesn't really matter what it was (but for full disclosure, it was about MN quoting etiquette) as this thread isn't about that, but more generally: do you find that you purposely do things because you know it annoys or irritates others? If so, what is it about for you?

I'm not talking about things which are necessary for you to do but which may disturb someone else for instance -like get up for a wee in the night-, but things which are of no consequence to you, but which you might go out of your way to do because you know a specific person will notice it and feel aggrieved.

DP couldn't give two hoots which way the looroll goes on, but because he knows I like it a certain way, he puts fresh rolls on the opposite way. Just because.

In my workplace, one cleaner knows the caretaker does a particular task in a certain order, and deliberately does a seemingly insignificant thing which means that, once a week, the caretaker's routine is disrupted. Just because.

I can't wrap my head around it and am really curious as to what the motivation is?

No. Life's too short for that kind of pettiness. I don't have the headspace for it.

Perhaps it's the only way they can feel significant?

Yep. I know someone who has always done this. The second they find out something is annoying to someone they do it more.

They're a bitter, spiteful person generally, combined with low self esteem and desperate for any attention.

No. I would think I'm a petty, mean spirited idiot and I don't want to think of myself that way.

No, I'm not an arsehole.

My abusive ex is like this. He gets pleasure from it. It's a simple as that. What a pathetic individual he is.

Only to my DH. He is so hilariously specific about things eg which way which cutlery goes in the cutlery drawer (& I don’t mean just separating it, I mean some forks go one way, others go another etc) that every now & then I deliberately do it wrong because I think it’s good for him to embrace some chaos 😂

I was in a train and heard a very obviously Daily Mail reading bloke nearby spouting on to his companion about immigrants, so I started up a convo with DH about how glad I was I'd voted Remain, and how good things will be when Starmer is PM. They got off at Taunton and I swear he gave me a look.

Absolutely not, but I know exactly what you mean.

I can think of two people who are petty like this. If they KNOW that something will annoy or upset someone, they go out if their way to do the thing just to make a point.

It's so bitter and twisted.

No because I am not 2

When I was in my early 20's I used to have a really annoying, pompous boss who had a classics degree and thought that made him hot shit.

So I confess I used to confidently and deliberately tell completely wrong stories about Roman history, or mispronounce words, or quote things completely incorrectly, because I knew it wound him up. Watching him inflate like a huffed up sparrow and get genuinely angry with me over it helped me get through that job.

Someone told me they hate crocs and that any adult who wears them has no self respect and that the holes in them are there for dignity to drain out of. I try to wear crocs each time I see them.

DP couldn't give two hoots which way the looroll goes on, but because he knows I like it a certain way, he puts fresh rolls on the opposite way. Just because.

I can't even imagine being this much of a petty arsehole, and I equally can't fathom how you are attracted to such a pathetic person. This kind of behaviour is just that, pathetic. Why would you want to deliberately annoy people you supposedly care about?

I speak Welsh to annoy DH sometimes. Then have to use French to annoy the DC as they both siarad Cymraeg...

No, not past the age of about 12.

Why do you let them get to you though?

They're your choice of shoes, their opinion shouldn't matter so much that it changes your behaviour.

In fact it wouldn't matter at all if you were more confident in your own choices.

I'd argue that the initial complainer is often the mean spirited one though. I mean people who complain about little things of no importance that do no harm. I might to those things more.

This.
I would that a repelling quality in a spouse or friends.

I know a person like this. I think they do it to make themselves feel more significant and impactful in life. They are also deeply resentful that others are more successful than them, and do this petty little things to try and thwart that.

No, I'm not a narcissist.

No I don't, CBA for that. Although I might if I worked with a total arsehole and wanted to wind them up. But generally, no.

Yep! Everyone I know who does this is bitter, spiteful, attention seeking and has low self esteem.

I mean, they COULD do something nice. Something to make the world a better place.

My stepdad is like this, you can see the glee on his face if he thinks he is inconveniencing or irritating someone, it's pure spite and he actively enjoys it. In his case it's as Mydahliasareshit says, the only way he can feel significant/powerful because otherwise he is a pathetic little man.

Very occasionally, but only if they’ve annoyed me first - which isn’t often because not much annoys me.

However, I’m frequently unintentionally annoying.

I live in a little town of less than 4,000 residents and while a lot of people here are absolutely lovely, there's also some sour-faced old cronies too!

There's one bloke known to be the ''village grump'' who hates anyone talking to his dog! Whenever I pass I always say ''good morning, doggy!''

There's a woman in her 50s who is known to be a right miserable cow, she's quite aggressive, completely full of herself and she absolutely hates me because I banned her from my shop so whenever I see her I always say ''hello, Jackie'' just to wind her up!