I - The thumb represents the inner essence of man!

Martijn (admin) wrote:



I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

[

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

Exactly what I and Lynn and then Sue (along with other members) have said from the beginning. Too bad you didn't take a look at this book earlier as it seemed to say the same thing in a way that got through to you.

Patti, my words above are consistent with the perceptions that I started sharing in my very first post.

And I think so far you have never described the radial hand to represent more a manifestation of the inner world to the outer world, nor did you describe the ulnar hand to represent more how the outer world is perceived and absorbed.

Nor did Lynn & Sue!

(But if you think that all three of you have described this view... then you are very welcome to present a quote which illustrates your observation; but so far I have to consider your claim is unfounded)


By the way, be aware: the logical consequence of my description above is that the thumb is more representive for the inner world - e.g. illustrated by my research results which point out that a more dominant thumb and/or index finger tend to result in a more introvert orientation = more directed towards inner world in terms of inner drives, needs & desires (and a likewise tendency regaring the long middle finger relative to the palm shape): that is why the passive water and earth finger on the radial side appear fine with me.

And... a more dominant ring finger results in a more extravert orientation = more towards the outer world: that is why I perceive the fire and air finger (both are 'outward directed' elements) on the radial side appear fine with me.

(But I have already pointed out how I perceive the basics of the Yin-Yang philosophy used in Elemental Chirology to be consistent with the Ida-Pingala priniciple used in Vedic palmistry & the 'Ich-Du' principle used in the German esoteric chirosophy school - von Mangoldt is one of the key-figures)


However Patti... I am happy to see that now suddenly (finally!) it appears that you have found yourself a way to be able to relate to how I have explained & substantiated my view this time!


PS. Maybe...

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

Exactly what I and Lynn and then Sue (along with other members) have said from the beginning. Too bad you didn't take a look at this book earlier as it seemed to say the same thing in a way that got through to you.

Patti, my words above are consistent with the perceptions that I started sharing in my very first post.

And I think so far you have never described the radial hand to represent more a manifestation of the inner world to the outer world, nor did you describe the ulnar hand to represent more how the outer world is perceived and absorbed.

Nor did Lynn & Sue!

(But if you think that all three of you have described this view... then you are very welcome to present a quote which illustrates your observation; but so far I have to consider your claim is unfounded)


By the way, be aware: the logical consequence of my description above is that the thumb is more representive for the inner world - e.g. illustrated by my research results which point out that a more dominant thumb and/or index finger tend to result in a more introvert orientation = more directed towards inner world in terms of inner drives, needs & desires (and a likewise tendency regaring the long middle finger relative to the palm shape): that is why the passive water and earth finger on the radial side appear fine with me.

And... a more dominant ring finger results in a more extravert orientation = more towards the outer world: that is why I perceive the fire and air finger (both are 'outward directed' elements) on the radial side appear fine with me.

(But I have already pointed out how I perceive the basics of the Yin-Yang philosophy used in Elemental Chirology to be consistent with the Ida-Pingala priniciple used in Vedic palmistry & the 'Ich-Du' principle used in the German esoteric chirosophy school - von Mangoldt is one of the key-figures)


However Patti... I am happy to see that now suddenly (finally!) it appears that you have found yourself a way to be able to relate to how I have explained & substantiated my view this time!


PS. Maybe...

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

And then for me it is completely weird ( ) to see you argue here: "that quadrant [upper ulnar palmar quadrant] does not represent the outer world".




(Sorry Lynn, if I told you that "pinky relates to the OUTER world"... and then I would add some kind of rethoric reasoning which ends me in saying: "... and therefore, pinky relates to the INNER world, because it does not represent the OUTER world"... then I would understand if an outsider would ask us: 'cool, how much did you smoke to get 'stoned'?)


However... I can confirm that IF Johnny would also use your 'weird' reasoning, then I would have simply have to conclude that there is indeed no clear 'change' in Johnny's 2nd book at all.



(More feedback later!)[/color]

If the 'outsider' happened to be an electrical engineer, they would immediately realize the electrical nature of the human body and think 'alternating current'.

Patti wrote:Last night reading hands at an event, I consciously tried to look at the ulnar side as outer and the radial side as inner and the readings could only be accurately done in the normal sense of the inner is being projected outwardly and the outer is being received... I'm simply defining which to which degree.

Martijn, have you made many attempts to actually putting your theory into practice, yet?

Patti wrote:
No, you are very mistaken! Lynn and Sue can speak for themselves. I have always been clear. You have been in a fog, seemingly until now.

It's right here in this example! You overlooked what I actually included and remarked about why I left out the elements and other symbols.

Sorry Patti, so far your arrows did not make sense to me.

By the way, you have not explained your choice to connect the pinky and ring finger with one side of the figure. It appears that you justify this choice based on the fact that both fingers are connected with one palmar quadrant - is this correct?

(However, then why did you not connect the middle finger with index finger? ).

And I also wonder about the purple words... how do these exactly relate to the fingers?
Do the words relate to both fingers where you put them in between?

By the way, when I look at the purple words between the ring and little finger and the thumb:

"Outward manifestation of results from having taken inward the outer world"

... 'outward manifestation'... 'taken inward the outer world' ... sounds like two opposite processes to me that both get associated with the outer world; however, earlier you described all fingers to represent a part of the Persona (see picture below).




Patti, I do notice that your picture (inside the quote) suggests that the index finger and middle finger are he most introvert fingers... just like I suggested in my picture; but your other picture (below) suggests that the index and middle finger also are connected with your 'air quadrant' which you described as relating more to the outer world.

So basically, I perceive all three picture presenting contradictive keywords regarding how these two finger relate to inner world (inward looking/introversion) and outer world (outward looking/extraversion).

So, yes... I can see come similarties with my description inside of some of your pictures, but those points appear to get contradicted by the other pictures.

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

Exactly what I and Lynn and then Sue (along with other members) have said from the beginning. Too bad you didn't take a look at this book earlier as it seemed to say the same thing in a way that got through to you.

Patti, my words above are consistent with the perceptions that I started sharing in my very first post.

And I think so far you have never described the radial hand to represent more a manifestation of the inner world to the outer world, nor did you describe the ulnar hand to represent more how the outer world is perceived and absorbed.

Nor did Lynn & Sue!

Lynn wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

Exactly what I and Lynn and then Sue (along with other members) have said from the beginning. Too bad you didn't take a look at this book earlier as it seemed to say the same thing in a way that got through to you.

Patti, my words above are consistent with the perceptions that I started sharing in my very first post.

And I think so far you have never described the radial hand to represent more a manifestation of the inner world to the outer world, nor did you describe the ulnar hand to represent more how the outer world is perceived and absorbed.

Nor did Lynn & Sue!

Unbelievable! What's going on here? have we been completely misunderstanding each other all the way thru this discussion? Or have you changed your perceptions Martijn?

Martijn, as I understand it, your words above are NOT consistent with the perceptions that you have shared throughout this discussion. All the way through this discussion you have asserted that the radial side represents the inner world. We have been saying all along that the radial side is the active self-assertion, how we express our inner world to the outer. You have said all the way through that pinky & ring finger are active and now you are agreeing with Ursula von Mangoldt that they are passive.
When I said that ulna side was passive, I think you accused me of violating the yin-yang principles because fire and air fingers are active.

Patti has shown you how she has seen it all the way through but still you are disputing and dismissing her arguments.

Feel free to write your article and claim that was how you saw it all along, but for sure you have changed your understanding & perception throughout this discussion much more than Patti or I have done.

Hi Lynn,

I am sorry to see how you completely got lost in how I used the term 'self-assertion'. But I can specify why my use of those words is consistent with my earlier posts:

First of all, yes I am aware that you have described that you perceive the thumb to shows how we assert our inner world to the outer world.

This earlier post of yours shows how you used the word 'assert':

Lynn wrote:

Martijn_admin wrote:- index finger = water = more inner

No, because it is on radial side, in conjuction with the thumb it shows how we assert our inner desires & self / ego out to the world.

Your posts shows how you have linked the word 'assert' with your association regarding the thumb (which you describe to represent the ego that puts itself more out in the world). We can observe here that you have linked 'self-assertion' with more outward behavior... because you associate it with putting out the ego into the world.


However, that is not how I perceive 'self-assertion' at all!

Because, I do not perceive 'self-assertion' directly with outward behavior, instead I perceive 'self-assertion' as the conscious presence of a mix including: self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-control.

Yes, self-assertion can indeed become manifest via assertive behavior in social situations - and in that concext the word even became hyped by cognitive behavior therapists!!!

So I think the essence of assertiveness is that it represents a manifestation of balanced self-control based on self-esteem (featured with an awareness of one's own rights + being able to respect the rights of others), and therefore I perceive the components required to act assertive to be seated in the inner world!

And I could describe self-assertive behavior as a typical moment where the inner world (thumb side) gets more directly involved in the communication with the outer world (pinky side).

However, in daily life many people tend to associate the word 'assertiveness' with dominant behavior... but this could actually be described partly as a mis-conception, because dominant behavior can even represent the opposite of assertive self-control.

Thanks for pointing out!




PS. Lynn, I hope you now much better understand what is exactly going on in this discussionI

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Lynn wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn (admin) wrote:

I think this passage shows how thumb & index finger represent active self-assertion - which represents a direct manifestation of the inner world into the outer world.

While the pinky & ring finger are the passive components that relate to how the outer world is absorbed and perceived (where the archetypes of the unconscious - which reside inside the mount of moon - are the necessary structures & tools that are required to understand the outer world in order to make communicate possible).

Exactly what I and Lynn and then Sue (along with other members) have said from the beginning. Too bad you didn't take a look at this book earlier as it seemed to say the same thing in a way that got through to you.

Patti, my words above are consistent with the perceptions that I started sharing in my very first post.

And I think so far you have never described the radial hand to represent more a manifestation of the inner world to the outer world, nor did you describe the ulnar hand to represent more how the outer world is perceived and absorbed.

Nor did Lynn & Sue!

Unbelievable! What's going on here? have we been completely misunderstanding each other all the way thru this discussion? Or have you changed your perceptions Martijn?

Martijn, as I understand it, your words above are NOT consistent with the perceptions that you have shared throughout this discussion. All the way through this discussion you have asserted that the radial side represents the inner world. We have been saying all along that the radial side is the active self-assertion, how we express our inner world to the outer. You have said all the way through that pinky & ring finger are active and now you are agreeing with Ursula von Mangoldt that they are passive.
When I said that ulna side was passive, I think you accused me of violating the yin-yang principles because fire and air fingers are active.

Patti has shown you how she has seen it all the way through but still you are disputing and dismissing her arguments.

Feel free to write your article and claim that was how you saw it all along, but for sure you have changed your understanding & perception throughout this discussion much more than Patti or I have done.

Hi Lynn,

I am sorry to see how you completely got lost in how I used the term 'self-assertion'. But I can specify why my use of those words is consistent with my earlier posts:

First of all, yes I am aware that you have described that you perceive the thumb to shows how we assert our inner world to the outer world.

This earlier post of yours shows how you used the word 'assert':

Lynn wrote:

Martijn_admin wrote:- index finger = water = more inner

No, because it is on radial side, in conjuction with the thumb it shows how we assert our inner desires & self / ego out to the world.

Your posts shows how you have linked the word 'assert' with your association regarding the thumb (which you describe to represent the ego that puts itself more out in the world). We can observe here that you have linked 'self-assertion' with more outward behavior... because you associate it with putting out the ego into the world.


However, that is not how I perceive 'self-assertion' at all!

Because, I do not perceive 'self-assertion' directly with outward behavior, instead I perceive 'self-assertion' as the conscious presence of a mix including: self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-control.

Yes, self-assertion can indeed become manifest via assertive behavior in social situations - and in that concext the word even became hyped by cognitive behavior therapists!!!

So I think the essence of assertiveness is that it represents an act of self-control based on self-esteem, and therefore I perceive the components required to act assertive to be seated in the inner world!

And I could describe self-assertive behavior as a typical moment where the inner world (thumb side) gets more directly involved in the communication with the outer world (pinky side).

However, in daily life many people tend to associate the word 'assertiveness' with dominant behavior... but this could actually be described partly as a mis-conception, because dominant behavior can even represent the opposite of assertive self-control.

Thanks for pointing out!




PS. Lynn, I hope you now much better understand what is exactly going on in this discussionI

ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR
Characteristics of assertive behavior include expressing your feelings, needs, ideas, and rights in ways that don’t violate the rights of others. Assertive behavior is usually honest, direct, expressive, spontaneous, and self-enhancing. Assertive persons make their own choices, are confident, and feel good about themselves while being assertive and afterward. They usually achieve their goals; when they don’t, they still feel good about themselves because they know they have been straightforward. Acting assertively reinforces their good feelings about themselves, improves self-confidence, and creates free, honest, and open relationships with others.
NONASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR (sometimes called “Passive Behavior”)
Characteristics of nonassertive behavior include not expressing feelings, needs, and ideas; ignoring personal rights; and allowing others to infringe upon them. Nonassertive behavior is usually emotionally dishonest, indirect, inhibited, and self-denying. Nonassertive persons often let other people choose for them and end up feeling disappointed in themselves and angry with them; at best, they can be described as passive, at worst as a doormat. People often choose nonassertive behavior to avoid unpleasant situations, tension, conflict, and confrontation.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
Characteristics of aggressive behavior include expressing your feelings, needs, and ideas at the expense of others. Aggressive persons stand up for their rights, but ignore the rights of others; they may dominate or humiliate other people. While this behavior is expressive, it is also defensive, hostile, and self-defeating.

Manfred wrote:Dear friends,

I'm sorry, Martijn, but my impression here is that you have gallopped intellectually in a dead end.
As I wrote you before, there isn't a German esoteric chirosophy school .

Lynn wrote: "The tumb side is the active self-assertion, how we express our inner world to the outer...." ....and the pinky & ring finger is the passive!
There is not only one German chirologist that say, has said or written the opposite. Only you came to that peculiar conclusion.

Here you'll have a picture from G. Hurlimann: Handlesen, M & T Verlag, St. Gallen, Schweiz, 1996, p. 44.
G. Hurilmann has been a Swiss and the leading German speaking chirologist during the last 30 years. She was one of my chirology teacher and I've got her chirological inheritance before she died in 2011.



I also find the expressions "inner" (what does inner mean?) and "outer" missleading.

May be the information about the German authors was important here, but I will not continue the discussion because I think it was really getting mad.

Regards
Manfred

Hi Manfred,

In your comment you've pointed out that you perceive the words 'inner' and 'outer' sort of as problematic; I think this may very well illustrate the nature of the struggle between the various participants in this discussion.

First all all, Manfred, I only used von Mangoldt's work regarding the element where she describes how the theme 'Ich vs Dich' is connected with the polarity: inner vs. outer world!

Second, sorry Manfred... I perceive your first words merely as a rather superficial judgement that appears to be based on Lynn's moment of 'unbelief'; in my previous post I have explained to Lynn why she probably misunderstood my use of the word 'self-assertion' - which I perceive as a manifestation of balanced self-control based on self-esteem).


Regarding Hürlimann's picture, for sure... things are not as simply as suggested by the picture (nor what is suggested by von Mangoldt's guideline); I can illustrate this regarding all 3 polarities described in Hürlimann's picture:

1 - Weiblich (female) vs Männlich (male)

Hürlimann & von Mangoldt suggest that the radial side is the male-side and the ulnar side is the female-side. But what does this really mean?

However, nearly all 2D:4D digit ratio studies around the world have pointed out that in women the index finger on the radial side tends to be longer (relative to the ring finger) than the ring finger. And likewise patterns are seen regarding the thumb (= longer in women) and the pinky (= longer in men)!

So... finger lengths patterns clearly contradict this rather simple idea (radial = male-side and ulnar = female side).... because the finger length patterns in males and women actually indicate that the reversed principle could very well come closer to the truth!

2 - Passiv (passive) vs. Aktiv (active):

And regarding the active vs. passive polarity, I have actually already described why things are also much more complicated here as well. The 2 pictures which I have presented in the other thumb-related topic illustrate why I perceive that a quadrant-like approach is much more realistic than any vertical- or horizontal approach... because I observe that the upper radial quadrant is actually more active than the lower radial quadrant in both the motoric and the elemental perspective, see:





3 - Du (you) vs. Ich (I):

I perceive no major problems regarding this polarity. In the field of hand reading the thumb and index finger are often associated with 'ego' & 'self' - which I have refered to in my introduction post.


By the way, earlier in this discussion I have pointed out why I consider the use of the vertical dimensions and horizontal dimensions as problematic... so my reference to von Mangoldt's work should not be perceived as that I can support the use of all key-words regarding the vertical dimension - because I perceive that a quadrant-like approach is necessary.



PS. I hope you did not take my reference to the German esoteric chirosophy school too literally. Because I was only described it to represent a current in the German field of hand reading (I was not using the world 'school' as a place where one go to in order to learn the teachings).

Patti wrote:

Martijn, have you ever heard of the phrase "When you're in a hole, stop digging!"?

Are you now trying to create a new definition for the term 'self-assertion? As if it were non-assertion?

Martijn (admin) wrote:



PS. I hope you did not take my reference to the German esoteric chirosophy school too literally. Because I was only described it to represent a current in the German field of hand reading (I was not using the world 'school' as a place where one go to in order to learn the teachings).[/color]

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn, have you ever heard of the phrase "When you're in a hole, stop digging!"?

Are you now trying to create a new definition for the term 'self-assertion? As if it were non-assertion?

No Patti, of course not. I have not suggested that 'self-assertion' is non-assertive, I only have attempted to describe the essence of 'self-assertion'... and how it represents the inner component of assertive behavior!

I could say that the pinky is required for the act of connection & speaking out the linguistic content of the communication itself, but the thumb is required to make the communication assertive!


(I have underlined various elements which I perceive to represent the key-elements inside this wikipedia definition)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assertiveness

"Assertiveness is a particular mode of communication.

Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines assertiveness as: a form of behavior characterized by a confident declaration or affirmation of a statement without need of proof; this affirms the person's rights or point of view without either aggressively threatening the rights of another (assuming a position of dominance) or submissively permitting another to ignore or deny one's rights or point of view"


PS. Your post is entirely suggestive by nature, because you did not even try to describe why you perceive my post as some kind of an attempt to re-define the word 'self-assertion'!

Martijn (admin) wrote:

Patti wrote:

Martijn, have you ever heard of the phrase "When you're in a hole, stop digging!"?

Are you now trying to create a new definition for the term 'self-assertion? As if it were non-assertion?

No Patti, of course not. I have not suggested that 'self-assertion' is non-assertive, I only have attempted to describe the essence of 'self-assertion'... and how it represents the inner component of assertive behavior!

I could say that the pinky is required for the act of connection & speaking out the linguistic content of the communication itself, but the thumb is required to make the communication assertive!


(I have underlined various elements which I perceive to represent the key-elements inside this wikipedia definition)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assertiveness

"Assertiveness is a particular mode of communication.

Dorland's Medical Dictionary defines assertiveness as: a form of behavior characterized by a confident declaration or affirmation of a statement without need of proof; this affirms the person's rights or point of view without either aggressively threatening the rights of another (assuming a position of dominance) or submissively permitting another to ignore or deny one's rights or point of view"


PS. Your post is entirely suggestive by nature, because you did not even try to describe why you perceive my post as some kind of an attempt to re-define the word 'self-assertion'!

Sucom wrote:The reason I have not been totally involved in this topic is because I have not seen a clear definition of what is meant by the terms 'inner' and 'outer'. I'm tempted to believe that the various arguments for and against where is 'inner' and where is 'outer' can never be resolved without this clear definition.

If one is coming from a perspective that the 'inner' person is the personal ego only and that the personal ego IS the essence, then any discussion coming from this perspective is naturally going to be very different from a discussion which considers the 'inner' person to be a more infinite inner essence projecting itself outwardly as a personal 'ego'.

I think these two aspects are being confused and mixed up in this topic, making it impossible to find a conclusion. There never will be a conclusion while there is no clear definition of what is meant by 'inner' and 'outer' or 'passive' and 'active'.

By the way, Martijn, I do believe I have mentioned some pages back that without a strong thumb, the inner qualities will struggle to project outwardly. As I see it, though, the inner self projects itself outwardly and then reacts to what it perceives. For me it is a circle of the self creating and reacting to an infinite number of possibilities.

Good point Sue!

In my own perspective I associate 'inner world' first of all with the intra-personal world (= world inside the person) - which is focussed on the person's thoughts, emotions & desires; however, I also recognize how some part of the 'inner world' is consumed by the so-called private-world - which by principle can be described as family-related matters (because in most people a large part of the thoughts & emotions get absorbed by family related matters due to the biological & home related connections).

And I associatiate 'the outer world' first of all with the inter-personal world (= world between persons) + activities in the so-called public-world (+ the unfamiliar/unknown worldly matters).


PS. I could that introverted people are more oriented on the intra-personal world & the private world (+ less interest in the inter-personal & public world); while extraverted people show the opposite tendency.


EDIT (one day later): I have just found the picture below... which probably presents a better perspective than what I described above; in the following post I have connected the 4 dimensions described in this picture with the hand, see:
https://www.modernhandreadingforum.com/t2419p810-the-thumb-represents-the-inner-essence-of-man#26829

Patti wrote:http://oavi.pages.tcnj.edu/tools-for-everyone/assertiveness/assertive-nonassertive-and-aggressive-behaviors/

ASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR
Characteristics of assertive behavior include expressing your feelings, needs, ideas, and rights in ways that don’t violate the rights of others. Assertive behavior is usually honest, direct, expressive, spontaneous, and self-enhancing. Assertive persons make their own choices, are confident, and feel good about themselves while being assertive and afterward. They usually achieve their goals; when they don’t, they still feel good about themselves because they know they have been straightforward. Acting assertively reinforces their good feelings about themselves, improves self-confidence, and creates free, honest, and open relationships with others.
NONASSERTIVE BEHAVIOR (sometimes called “Passive Behavior”)
Characteristics of nonassertive behavior include not expressing feelings, needs, and ideas; ignoring personal rights; and allowing others to infringe upon them. Nonassertive behavior is usually emotionally dishonest, indirect, inhibited, and self-denying. Nonassertive persons often let other people choose for them and end up feeling disappointed in themselves and angry with them; at best, they can be described as passive, at worst as a doormat. People often choose nonassertive behavior to avoid unpleasant situations, tension, conflict, and confrontation.
AGGRESSIVE BEHAVIOR
Characteristics of aggressive behavior include expressing your feelings, needs, and ideas at the expense of others. Aggressive persons stand up for their rights, but ignore the rights of others; they may dominate or humiliate other people. While this behavior is expressive, it is also defensive, hostile, and self-defeating.