Definitions... they DO matter!

Don’t you hate it when people use words or phrases incorrectly? Not people who are just trying out a phrase for the first time….no… I’m talking about the people who use these phrases with such confidence in the belief that THEY ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT in their usage, that you can’t tell them any differently?

You could show them the dictionary, and they won’t believe you. You could try to gently change the direction of the conversation, and they’re not budging from their ill-conceived theories. No… these are people who think that if they just use their words LOUD enough and with enough bluster, that everyone will believe them. And they’re too ignorant to check their facts or look up the words, or consider… for even a moment… that they might be incorrect.

I had it happen to me twice last week. You just want to shake these people and say LOOK THIS STUFF UP BEFORE YOU TALK!

So in honor of those people, (and some may call them assholes), I am presenting two definitions today. One from the world of technology... and one from the world of psychology.

What is a Unique Visitor?
(this is in reference to people who visit websites)

A unique visitor is someone with a unique address who is entering a Web site for the first time that day (or some other specified period). Thus, a visitor that returns within the same day is not counted twice. A unique visitors count tells you how many different people there are in your audience during the time period, but not how much they used the site during the period.

Usually datametric companies use a COOKIE dropped into your browser to indicate that you have been counted. If the user closes the browser or is inactive for a period of time (many webcounters use 30 minutes), the session cookie will expire, and a revisit will cause a new unique visit to occur.

MOST DATAMETRIC COMPANIES USE A 24 HOUR PERIOD OF TIME AS THEIR SPECIFIED PERIOD.

Now, on two definition two:
What is Passive-Aggression and what is the behaviour generally associated with it?

The term "passive-aggressive" was introduced in a 1945 U.S. War Department technical bulletin, describing soldiers who weren't openly insubordinate but shirked duty through procrastination, willful incompetence, and so on.

People with this disorder resent responsibility and show it through their behaviors rather than by open expression of their feelings. Procrastination, inefficiency, and forgetfulness are behaviors commonly used to avoid doing what they need to do or have been told by others must be done.

A person with this disorder may appear to comply with another's wishes -- may even demonstrate enthusiasm for them -- but the requested action is either performed too late to be helpful, performed in a way that is useless, or otherwise sabotaged to express anger the person cannot relate verbally.

For example, if you are angry at your spouse who asked you to pick up several ingredients for dinner that night, and you somehow forget a couple of the items which make preparing the meal impossible, this might be considered a passive aggressive act.

Passive Aggression IS NOT when you are discussing a problem openly. (OPENLY being the operative term.) Passive aggression is typically sabotaging behaviour that is expressed separately from the anger one feels for someone else.

GET IT RIGHT… or shut the hell up.

Have a nice day!