Nothing so aggravates an earnest person as a passive resistance.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Passive resistance frustrates earnest people who want direct engagement or action. It creates tension by refusing to cooperate openly.
- In plain terms
- Earnest people get very frustrated by passive resistance.
- What can you take from it?
- Passive resistance can be deeply annoying to active people.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- How do you react when someone refuses to engage?
- Is passive resistance ever justified?
Another view
Passive resistance is often a necessary tool for the powerless.
More from Herman Melville
'At present I would prefer not to be a little reasonable,' was his mildly cadaverous reply.
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