Not sure how universal this assertion is, but should make for interesting discussion nonetheless.

by Anonymous 10 months ago

Everyone I know who can't or couldn't say no was abused and were just afraid because they learned saying no made people upset and if people get upset they get hurt. I think your theory is just very minimal cases.

by Anonymous 10 months ago

I agree with you completely! I was one of those people! This unpopular opinion heavily lacks nuance or much critical thinking into it! It is not just limited to those reasons the OP laid out or even those to begin with! Nothing wrong with saying no, rejecting, and having boundaries, and people have to respect that, as no one is entitled to anyone or anything! However, as my therapist wisely mentioned, some unkind people say no virtually all the time, and that becomes problematic in itself and should not get co-signed as something to do automatically! There will be instances where people must say yes or do something to cooperate, especially if it is appropriate or warrants such! Each situation is different! Thank you!

by Anonymous 10 months ago

Exactly. I have known people who say no to everything and I just found them to hard to be friends with. Stuff like asking them to hang out was a no and it just got exhausting.

by Anonymous 10 months ago

No one is entitled to anyone or anything! At the same time, two things can be true at once, and saying no should depend on the situation at hand! Saying no, rejecting, and having boundaries is great and healthy, and people should accept the no and move on gracefully, even if it hurts! However, as my therapist wisely told me, many unkind people continuously say no without reason during appropriate instances, which is disrespectful, petty, and unnecessary! Those same people weaponize having "boundaries" and "rejection" to say no! Especially if a situation warrants cooperation from someone, whether professional or otherwise, adversely impacting that person who got told no! For example, it is brutal to be in a very toxic work environment and deal with exceptionally toxic colleagues and management who do not cooperate with you, saying no, even when a task(s) depends on going through that person or people to get things done! Perspective matters!

by Anonymous 10 months ago