Comment by thepryz

I tend to look at it more from the perspective of what I can control. I can’t control how others communicate. What I can control is how I communicate and how respond to others. My response requires me to seek to understand the other person and then use that to guide my actions.

You’re right that direct and/or abrasive communication is better received in high trust relationships or environments. So the goal should always be to try and take steps to cultivate that.

In my experience, some people are legitimate assholes. but many are simply misunderstood and what I’ve learned throughout my life is that you’ll learn a lot and gain a lot simply by looking past your initial emotional response and approach things with an open mind.