Be a Jerk. It’s Healthy.
Posted by Mentally Interesting on March 24, 2006
According to psychologists at Frankfurt University “enforced jolliness” on the job are more likely to suffer from depression and stress which can lower the immune system.
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
“Every time a person is forced to repress his true feelings there are negative consequences for his health,” said Professor Dieter Zapf, a researcher into human emotions.
The study tested students working in an imaginary call centre who were subject to abuse from clients. Some of the participants were allowed to answer back, while others had to be polite and friendly all the time.
Those who stood up to clients had a rapid heartbeat for a brief period, but for those who had to remain friendly their heart was still racing long after the client had hung up.
The conclusion reached by the psychologists was that “being friendly against one’s will causes nothing but stress”.
Thanks to LifeHacker
Mom, Interrupted said
This is so very true. The worst type of anger is that from negative energy that has been building and building and bursts explosively.
An expolsion that could have been prevented by a healthy release of feelings and emotions.
Much easier said than done.
lelyons said
That is very intereting! Glad to know my bluntness is serving me well on some levels! And, by the way – thanks for signing up to participate in the Blog to Raise Awareness About Sexual Violence day! I look forward to reading what you have to say!
aisia said
haha! this is great, I wrote a thing about how forcing pleasantries will kill you a little deep inside.
aisia said
here’s the gist of my beef with pleasantries, but now I have scientific proof that they are bad for your health!
Read it if you want to, but my writing is a tadd strange.
I believe we could really cut down on some of the time we waste pointlessly conversing with each other by ruling out certain things as acceptable conversation. If the mundane pleasantries were forbidden, more time could be spent learning and developing instead of forcing smiles and repeating pre-established phrases that were hammered into our heads as children, disguised as manners.
I plan to search for a new and more productive code to replace “manners”, “pleasantries”, “etiquette” and “empty chit chat”. With these four obstructions destroyed and no longer hindering the progress of useful conversation, it has been declared (by me, earlier, and yes, without basis) that a new level of consciousness will become possible. We will no longer have to drop our important thoughts to greet people, make small talk, compliment others – the list of our current duties is huge. Freeing ourselves of such a plethora of responsibility will open opportunities for enlightening interaction and other various activities you’re not partaking in today because entire hours of your life are slowly, bit by bit, being consumed by pointless interaction and pleasantry.
Pleasantries must be reduced to a series of grunts, if absolutely necessary, though the aim is to do away with them altogether. The grunt system is simply a transitionary measure, while you are weaned off of your former habits. Those around you will no doubt prefer silence to the grunts you exhibit during this phase. Though you may be temporarily avoided and considered somewhat of a Neanderthal, you can rest assured that when the rest of mankind follows suit you will be hailed as one of the pioneers of the change and given various handmade crafts and medals as a reward for your leadership. This is the most difficult habit to rid yourself of, for it is deeply ingrained in all of our interactions. It is, however, the most unnecessary. Consequently, drastic measures must be taken to discourage pleasantry-perpetuating babble. (Yes, pleasantries feed off of pleasantries. The ultimate evil of your conversations, uttering one of these dangerous nothings, will set off others to do the same, backfire onto you, and so on.)