Has there been a recent occasion in your "real" life (in other words, work or personal but not online life) where you wanted to tell someone off, but knew it would be better to keep your thoughts to yourself?

Yes, but I let it get the best of me and got snarky.

I just got finished with that here. Some guy called me a race baiter.

Multiple times, but that is what maturity and discipline are for. Be the bigger man, broseph.

Not in “real life” no. All the people I want to tell off are gathered together on fluther. (wink)

Doesn’t this happen every day at work?

Almost everyday.
Self control and professionalism will win out 100% of the time at work and 99% of the time outside work.

Sure. Lots of times. Isn’t that what socialization is all about? Knowing when to talk, and when to simply listen?

I keep my thoughts to myself every day at work.

I work with these kind of women and these kind led by this type of person and her husband

Telling them off is like nailing jello to a wall. Some battles are just not worth the ammo.

In fairness, not everyone’s like that—I have this type of coworker too :D

Every time I talk to my boss. Every. Time

@linguaphile Sweet post.

A brother remarried a couple of years ago. Now when he calls, he always puts it on speakerphone. He never says if his wife is privy to the conversation or not. It’s not that I mind if she is. It just seems like the polite thing to do would be to say, “This is (brother) and (wife).” It irritates our sister as well, but we both love him and just let it slide, other than an occasional vent to each other. Well, and now to y’all.

Yes, and I did tell them off, which is rare, as it takes a LOT to piss me off. haha
It was a male friend of mine who is the debater from hell, EVERYTHING is a debate with this guy. I let him have it big time, was sick and tired of his constant arrogant and dismissive attitudes, his self appointed guru status.
It was GREAT!

He kissed my ass like no one has ever done before. lol
Fine and dandy, but I’ve decided I just don’t LIKE him, overall…sooo, I haven’t returned his calls.
I’m sure he gets the message, dude, you’re fucking EXHAUSTING, go away!

My sister melted down on me just after my mom died and after being understanding for about a year I wanted to unload on her. I wrote her a nasty e-mail and then deleted it.

As much as I allow myself to get worked up and occasionally snarky here, I’m really very polite in real life. I can’t remember ever being purposefully rude to a stranger….until recently. Story time.

I was hospitalized for a few days recently with a bowel obstruction, and though the hospitalization had a good outcome (I was good as new within a few days), it was one of the most unpleasant experiences of my life because there was a lot of pain involved and I also had to have a naso-gastric tube. Having a tube shoved up your nose and down your throat, fully conscious with no analgesic is something I recommend avoiding if at all possible.

My nurse was quizzing me on what I had eaten prior to the obstruction. It’s odd, because I hadn’t had anything you would expect could block you up. I’d had yogurt and a donut.

I usually eat pretty healthfully, but I indulge in snacks like donuts now and then. It’s my way of celebrating the fact that I can eat those sorts of things now, since my diet used to be very restricted. And I’m underweight, so I don’t view it as a huge issue.

This nurse started GOING OFF on me about how my diet was so terrible, and how could I possibly expect to be healthy when I’m eating things like that? I think you guys know my feelings on victim blaming well enough by now. Donuts didn’t give me ulcerative colitis. Donuts didn’t give me that blockage.

Like I said, I’m a lot meeker in real life than on a forum like Fluther. The polite thing to do would have been to let him do his spiel and let the issue drop. But something about having a tube up your nose and down your throat that brushes against your uvula now and then and makes you dry heave has a way of making you a little grumpy. And I just totally let him have it. He backpedaled for an awkward 30 seconds before leaving. Maybe something good did come from not holding my tongue – hopefully next time he will think twice about implying that his patients are sick of their own accord.

Oh, every day. I work in social services, and some of the morons clients I work with drive me up the wall. So I guess I do tell them off, but just in my head or after the fact, but never to their face, as much as I’m tempted to.

I have almost no tolerance for dumb people; I’m tested daily. On the plus side, I’m a wee bit more patient than I used to be.

I’m probably going to jinx myself but now that you bring it up, I can’t even think of the last time someone has even got close to pissing me off. That can’t be right. With all the shit we’ve been dealing with I still think I have a pretty damn good life, given that. Huhm.

Whilst shopping for grocerys the other day with the wife, this annoying old bugger in front of us at the line kept farting right into our shopping trolley/kart.
I was afraid the fish would go off before we had even paid for it & would have given her a piece of my mind, but the wife doesn’t like her mother being upset.

No, but an incident happened where perhaps I should have kept my mouth shut. This weekend in town I was accosted by a beggar, a young woman of probable East European origin, asking for change. I said no, and she actually had the nerve to run after me and grab my arm to ask me again. I whirled around and gave her a mouthful (I didn’t swear or say anything abusive), and the poor girl looked absolutely terrified of me. She can’t have been more than 15 or 16.

On the other hand maybe it will discourage her from doing the same thing again, as the next person might decide to hit her, or have her arrested.

All the time at family gatherings. Ahh, family.

Yes, my brother this week. I found it pointless to voice my opinion/concern to him, so I chose not to (but I so freaking wanted to). He doesn’t listen any ways.

So I’ll do it here!

To my lovely brother,

I did not tell your ex-wife that you are driving a company truck without a license. I did not even know you had a company truck ..or that you still did not have a license. I forgot that you couldn’t get one because of all the child support you owe. Did you forget that I do not have ESP? Do not jump to conclusions before asking me first, as you often do. You selfish compulsive lying narcissistic ass-hat of a Neanderthal.

Love,
Your Darling Sister