petty definition - 9 Signs That You're Petty. Find out now

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Yes, pettiness can be pretty subjective.  I feel like it’s almost along the same lines as “hating.”  The term is used far too liberally, and under the wrong context.  However, no matter what context, “petty” is pretty easy to indicate, especially if you do these things:

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You’re vindictive

When something bad happens to you, sometimes it’s a little comforting to have a revenge fantasy, but most of the time you don’t act on them.  If your roommate keeps on eating your cheese, and you retaliate by farting on their pillow, that’s just petty.

Talk to them, have a discussion.  If your first reaction is to get back at people, that’s some pretty petty behavior.

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You enjoy someone else’s failure

I’m not talking about the joy that comes from watching the criminal in a high speed car chase finally get apprehended. (Those are actually kinda funny).  I’m talking about the thrill that comes when seeing a person you know fail at something.

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You broadcast others’ failures

It’s not enough that you enjoy their failure, but you like to let anyone who doesn’t know about it in on the celebration.  Then, some people, like to do the fake-sheepish-look like:  “What?  I thought you told them that you lost your job!”

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You set up plans that you know you won’t keep

Sometimes time is going to catch up with you, and you won’t be able to accomplish everything that you want to do and something is going to suffer.  But if you actively make plans, while laughing maniacally in your head about how you’re going to stand them up; that isn’t just cruel, it’s petty.

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You’re condescending

We understand that no one is as intelligent as you are, but talking to people likewise is rude.  No one wants to be spoken down to.

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You set people up to fail

I remember when my sister told me:  “No, Kendra!  You Got Served is a GREAT movie!”  She sat there and watched me suffer through that movie, just to enjoy my pain.

That was on a small (still petty) scale, but if someone is pushing you to do something that your instincts are warning you against, they’re being petty and possibly not a good friend either.  Reassess that relationship.

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You’re narrow-minded

Petty, by one of its definitions, means small, and a person who can’t accept others for how they are has a very petty view.  You need to get to the point when you can see and accept people for how they are, not for how you want them to be.

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You encourage mediocrity

You are giving a friend advice to be happy in the position that she’s in, not because you want her to be happy, but because you don’t want her to be better than you.