Notes written in a passive-aggressive manner are almost an everyday part of life nowadays. We've both written and received our fair share. It's easier to write down your sentiments when dealing with rude neighbors, bothersome coworkers, or anyone else you don't want to deal with than to do it in person. Some use them to communicate dissatisfaction, while others use them as a form of amusement, as evidenced by these hilarious examples.
Feel free to use these passive-aggressive responses in the future yourself, if you ever need to exact passive-revenge on someone. But if you do decide to settle an argument this way, be wary—you may end up getting passively-dismantled.
Not Your Food, Debbie
In this refrigerator, passive-aggressiveness has taken over. If you ever thought putting a label on food to protect it was going too far, you were mistaken. Debbie must be a significant problem at the workplace if someone deemed it OK to accuse her of stealing all the food. Perhaps this approach is necessary if you want to put an end to food thievery in the workplace.
There’s no point in writing sweet little notes or making knock-knock jokes about who the sandwich belongs to. At least Debbie won’t be doing any more taste-testing, but who knows what others might do in her name?
There’s A Cow in the Fridge
In response to one employee's displeasure about a colleague's milk consumption, somebody in this office opted to do something drastic. Their remarks were taken too seriously, and a cow was put in the fridge. He probably wasn't expecting this reaction.
While it's clear that this note was supposed to be a light-hearted jest, someone opted to play along with their coworker's passive-aggressive conduct and made a joke out of it. We can’t imagine this was the first time. That being said, this cow occupies less space in the refrigerator. Their mission was a success.
Date the Food Cans
When it comes to interacting with the rest of the world, this employee’s preferred method of communication is posting, of the offline variety. Even though they haven’t been able to find a long-term relationship, they appear to be taking it all in stride. Isn't this the kind of person every office needs?
Self-deprecating humor is admirable, but the original note poster may not have found it as hilarious as we do. Someone in the company must have found a lot of wasted products if they had to start dating their cans. Something for the gleaners, we guess.
Violence Is Never the Answer
When something does not work correctly, our instinct is to push harder, pound it, or otherwise use force, partially to vent our irritation. This does not work in all things, however. Some things require subtlety and tact. Enter note, stage left:
This person decided to use passive-aggressive tactics against those who misused their poor, dead printer. Message received. I think you'll agree that they “crushed” it.
Microaggressions
Surely you've heard of the grammar-corrector-in-chief. Their teardowns will put tears down your cheeks, and they always come down heavy. If you ever put a sign up with less than pristine composition, you’ll find yourself cooked.
This is only one issue of many that comes with working in a shared space, such as an office or a classroom, or nowadays, the living room sofa. Did you expect him to sit quietly while your microwave was beeping, Carolyn? Did you??
Stay In Your Lane
If you’ve ever found yourself unable to find a parking space because another vehicle was taking up two spaces (or even three), you're not alone. Many of us know of the irritation and anger which can stem from dealing with those who have a distinct lack of self-awareness, self-control, or concern for other people.
Some can't control their emotions and turn to violence; others use passive-aggressive tactics to vent their rage. This message gets the point across while also coming with an adorable turtle—a much better way to express your displeasure with someone's parking than destroying their car.
Not Worth the Risk
Sometimes you have no choice but to go along with someone's passive-aggressive behavior once they’ve struck the first blow. When this person tried to subtly persuade others to change the toilet paper, he had no idea who he was dealing with. Literally. I mean, the person who replied didn’t leave a name or anything.
We guess writing "I have no intention of replacing the toilet paper, and neither do I mind wasting this one" would have been too long, especially for those with more fragile brains. On the upside, using less toilet paper is good for the environment, so that’s good, we guess.
The Icing on the Cake
While moving on to the next chapter in your life and taking on new challenges is exciting, it's also a bittersweet time when you leave the place you've known for so long. While some may meet you with a tearful goodbye, others may greet you like this:
It’s the thought that counts. But the thought behind this void-colored cake must have been full of malice. Sounds like either the best company in the world to leave or the worst place to join. Probably both.
Weapons of Pass-Aggression
Using the phrase "do not use under any circumstances ever" is a bit much. There’s a name for this type of rhetoric: reverse psychology. Jokes aside, the highly realistic illustration someone put to the note below did not escape our notice. It really captures our feelings on the matter.
Seeing the reply to the reply only makes us wonder what might happen if anyone tried using this microwave. Would it be the end of the world? If the microwave is so unsafe, why not just get rid of it?
Can’t Hold It Back Anymore
To quote one of the most well-known songs in the world: "Let it go, let it go, can't hold it back anymore," and this person clearly couldn't. A new movie can often be the talk of the office, and Frozen was undoubtedly one of those films able to captivate both children and adults alike.
All of us, even those who have never even seen the animated film, will be familiar with this particular earworm because just about everyone around us was singing it back in the day. When one person starts humming, it's just a matter of time before everyone else in the office joins in and starts singing along too.
Staying Ahead of the Game
Anyone who hates the smell of ketchup can sympathize with this one. But the response it got is priceless. It reeks, but it's priceless. You can bet one ketchup hater didn't like this note.
Hot sauce. But you know what? Let's be more environmentally friendly in the future. Let’s stop wasting paper, and start sending out condiment-covered emails in 2022. Not to worry, you can still be passive-aggressive on the internet.
Park Properly
Despite the clear message they're trying to convey, this is typical passive-aggressive behavior. A better solution must exist to correct folks who don't know how to park or are too stubborn to learn. Leaving post-its, as hilarious as they are, does not appear to do any good.
If this driver couldn’t judge the distance between their car and the roadway, I doubt they’d have enough brainpower left over to pay attention to this note. Better luck next time.
Blind Could Drive
Bad drivers have been and always will continue to be a significant source of frustration for the general public, particularly when it comes to finding parking spaces. We all know how frustrating it is when you’re unable to find a parking spot. Sometimes the best way to express your frustration is to be passive-aggressive.
This is one of the cleanest passive-aggressive posters we’ve seen and proof that even when people are unhappy, they can make beautiful art out of their suffering.
Expert Notice
What else would you expect from programmers who spend their days reading and writing computer code? Maybe this notice was necessary after too many disruptions to the programmers' sacred work, but did they need to be depicted as caged animals in a zoo?
However, the most intriguing aspect of this notice was the indication of an “incident”. What type of incident was it? We’re not sure we want to find out. Sometimes it's better to leave some mysteries unsolved.
Sticky Notes on Sticky Notes
We’d add more commentary to this one, but we think there have been enough replies already. We will say though, even if it didn’t want to choose a side, the purple note really added a new dimension to a fascinating office rivalry.
Maybe this chain kept growing, expanding forever, like a game of snake without boundaries. Speaking of boundaries, we think this office probably struggles with them, going off the picture above.
Dishes Are Like Boyfriends
In the world of passive-aggressive tactics, you haven't seen anything yet. Sharing an apartment with another person is never easy, and if you don't have ground rules, many problems can arise. Passive-aggressive notes are in handy in these instances.
This sign conveys the intended message without naming names and thus helps to maintain harmony in the household. We’re not sure how dishes can be like boyfriends, however. Where does the sponge come in? Or the soap?
Be a Good Neighbor
We all adore dogs, but tidying up after them isn't always something we enjoy doing, especially when the mess didn’t come from our dog. There's nothing we can do but be passive-aggressive about it when some people don't understand basic courtesy.
Using notes is convenient. They allow you to express whatever you want without explicitly saying anything inappropriate. There is no doubt that a sign like this is unnecessary, but given that these people don't have the decency to clean up after their dog, why not make light of it?
Checkmate
When nature calls, everyone answers. In this case, they answered twice. It probably started with one person who thought they were being hilarious, and it snowballed from there. Guys, you don't have to be so literal with everything.
Two things puzzle us: why was an X marked on the page, and what does the winky face mean? Whether they flushed or not is debatable. But we can’t think of a single appropriate time to wink at anyone in a bathroom, at least not at work anyway.
Say My Name
Because certain people respond better to comedy, passive-aggressiveness can be more effective than shouting, crying, or throwing a chair out of the window in frustration. If we had to guess, we'd say that Dave is the more passive-aggressive of the two.
While this guy was trying to claim sole ownership of the beverage, he failed to consider the possibility of a second Dave in the workplace. If you don't know your prey, your passive-aggressiveness will never make the mark.
The Dishwasher
For whatever reason, this father always seems to have to load the dishwasher. Witness below one man’s attempt to defy nature's law with his application of the passive-aggressive technique.
Maybe it’s FYI’s way of getting revenge for having been called something so weird. Maybe Brian wanted to give FYI a unique name, unlike his own (no offense Brian). In any case, it’s a dishwasher. It’s easy to use.
Loud Neighbors
Neighbors can be great when you need to borrow a cup of sugar, but they can also be quite a pain, especially if they live directly above you and clop around like horses. We've all had neighbors like this. The following is one method for dealing with them:
It's always possible to put up passive-aggressive messages when you don't know your upstairs neighbors very well. After all, if you speak to them directly they might not take kindly to you. They might fit you with your own cement shoes and show you to the nearest river or deep body of water.
The Dishes Speak for Themselves
Living with a partner can be just as challenging as living with roommates. This lady figured out how to instruct her boyfriend to do the dishes without really saying a word herself.
This was a guaranteed way to attract her boyfriend's attention. Just look at the curves on that cursive! This was a passive-aggressive note written with style and flourish.
Comic Sans 500
Comic Sans should never be used in formal correspondence or work-related documents. Comic Sans is not a suitable typeface to use unless you're a middle school kid selling lemonade during the summer to earn some extra cash. This person appears to have missed that point.
Were they really expecting people to take them seriously using such an unprofessional font? In the workplace, a constantly opening door can be a significant problem for people who find it difficult to focus, especially if their coworkers are always singing Frozen songs. To be taken more seriously, they should use a more appropriate typeface next time.
Dishes Don’t Wash Themselves
Parents, roommates, and partners who've had enough of returning home to a filthy sink would want to leave a note like this for their kids or roomies. When you were a kid, how many times did you hear the phrase "Dishes don't wash themselves?" Finally, this person found a creative approach to convey their message.
However, imagine how convenient it would be if dishes washed themselves. But since we still don't have magic dishes, this person used a tried and tested passive-aggressive tactic to accomplish their wish.
Another Parking Note
You know when you’re about to settle into your favorite spot, but your dog is already parked there in your place? This next example of passive-aggressive behavior must have been inspired by such an event.
People can be rather creative when it comes to passive-aggressive messaging, and we don’t just mean the text. The message is clear: don't park selfishly, don't take up more than one place, find your own spot.
So Call Me, Maybe?
If you want to give your notes a more polished feel (and your reader an earworm for the next week), consider using lyrics from popular songs in your PA notes.
Classy. It seems as though they are sick of this guy obstructing their driveway, like some of the other passive-aggressive letters we've seen before on our cars.
More Ketchup Please
There is nothing more stressful than waiting for your food for what seems like hours on end. It’s even more frustrating when you’re sitting in a restaurant, and you can’t even place an order because no one is paying attention to you.
We all want to do something but lack the bravery. These people took matters into their own hands and slammed the waiters with condiments. They don't even have to say anything. The ketchup says it all.
It Doesn’t Make Sense
If you can't use both microwaves at once, what's the sense of having two? It's a shame to have two if you can only reheat one kipper at a time. If you're going to put up a sign like this, you’d be a fool not to think that someone is going to ask...
Rationality rarely has a place in the workplace, which is why these passive-aggressive notes are so important. They attempt to inject logic without directly confronting anyone.
Is It Not?
It's difficult for us adults to fathom what kids see in video games and why they spend so much time on the internet playing them, especially when real life is also instantly gratifying, fair, and fun. This mother chose to be passive-aggressive rather than reminding her child of this point daily.
It's a brilliant strategy because he'll be unable to talk back. Presumably, she left those oranges as free skins, as some kind of bait. We hate to be nitpicky, but oranges don’t have skins – they have peels.
Keeping an Eye Out for Rusty
When a colleague takes his dog to work, we adore it. Any four-legged companion is always welcome in our office. However, even if they are fun and cute, they can also be a nuisance, which is why signs like these emerge in the workplace.
Understandably, they don't want Rusty to leave, given that dogs are always a flight risk, but we're not sure why Jay was added to the sign. Is there a special clause in his contract about it? Although this request isn't very aggressive, it'd be a great sign to see at work.
Really?
Yet another great way to get people to clean up their own mess. You don't want to be in a work atmosphere where your colleague's dishes pile up in the sink, do you? Do you really? Really? Really?
These sticky notes have a judgemental tone that says, "Really, you're simply going to leave it there?" Sometimes a single word is all that’s needed to convey a complicated message.
Do Printers Dream of Electric Ink?
There’s always a philosopher in the office, one who asks the tough questions. Most people are preoccupied with getting through day-to-day stuff, while this guy is busy considering the bigger questions of life.
Deep. So what this guy is trying to say (we imagine) is that one day, we’ll all get wheeled out of the office. This might come as a shock to some who tend to believe that the office is all there is.
Friendly Neighbor
The exteriors of our neighbors' homes are important to us. We want our surroundings to be just as pleasant as the insides of our abodes. As a result, if a neighbor fails to take care of their yard, it becomes a cause for concern.
Because he couldn't stand the faded wood look of his neighbor's fence, this Bob guy was probably pestering him to paint it. Bob chose to let him know what he thinks of his request, in nice white, passive-aggressive paint.
Roll It Up
Our smoking habit is something that we’d never want our parents to know about, even as adults. Instead of tactfully asking her teen son about his habit, this mother opted to break the news in a passive-aggressive manner.
It's funny to imagine this kid's reaction when he opened up his rolling paper only to see these terrible words. We wonder if it was enough to make him break the habit.
State of the Art
If there's a lesson to take away from this list, it's that neighbors should keep their noses out of each other's personal lives. Asking for “small favors” from a neighbor can lead to passive-aggressive messages rather than better relations.
We think that this was one homeowner’s attempt to either turn eyes off (or on) their side of the fence. You know what they say: “the grass is greener, curvier, and more seductive on the other side”.
Not Too Subtle
This one isn't quite as subtle, but some things simply must be said. Jogging is one of our favorite forms of exercise, and it's best done in loose, comfortable clothing. However, since we live in a society, we must be aware and considerate of others.
Instead of arguing with their obnoxious neighbor, this homeowner chose to leave a letter on the front lawn in giant red font, in capital letters. If you're jogging or running by this house, its sign should catch your attention as much as a certain person’s anatomy seems to catch the attention of others.
Passive-Aggressiveness Doesn’t Do The Dishes
Dish duty seems to be a significant source of contention in most households. Those who choose to ignore their responsibilities defy the sacred laws of their household.
This guy was mad enough to make passive-aggressive notes about cleaning the dishes, but he never did them himself. Someone decided to give him a taste of his own medicine with a passive-aggressive portrait and note.
Parking Issues
It's always about parking, for some reason. I think we can all agree that this is the part of driving everyone despises the most. It's made worse when you're stuck in a parking lot behind folks that don't appear to know what they're doing!
This is a horrific situation because you don't want to get into some kind of parking lot brawl with another driver. As is often the case, the best technique may be to use passive-aggressive messages, such as this one, because random strangers on the internet may find it amusing. At least, we hope so.
No Escape
Passive-aggressive notes are commonly used in workplaces and residential properties—basically, any situation that requires cohabitation. Inevitably, one neighbor will do something that another neighbor doesn’t like.
During the weekend, someone enjoys going out and leaving his downstairs neighbor a nasty surprise a little too often. This person throws up over their fire escape, and it lands on the patio of his next-door neighbor. Not cool. Passive-aggressive note approved.
Steve Jobs
I'm sure everyone in the office laughed at this, except for the individual who printed the original message. Steve Jobs' infamous smug smile makes this one perfect. It's almost as though the person who posted this sign was asking for it.
Posting a picture of Steve Jobs for people who forget not to print large jobs at your job would surely do a good job of reminding them not to print large jobs at the job. Er, printer. At the very least, it must have brought a smile to everyone's face, which is a thankless… task.