Sure, it’d be easier and quicker to just clean it up. But the modern passive-aggressive (like Katey in Berkeley’s ex-roommate) can’t pass up the opportunity to make a point.
A common variation on the Van der Rohe approach, as documented below by Sam in Dallas, is the so-called “Reverse Magritte.”
Meanwhile, post-modern passive-aggressives (like this New York office-worker below) can’t resist throwing some irony into the mix, intentional or not.
More recently, passive-aggressives have begun to show the influence of the burgeoning neo-pop movement. Our anonymous submitter in Houston, for example, designed the original stamp below for use in his work. “I am an engineer and we have to mark up technical drawings for manufacture,” he explains, in his artist’s statement. “It gets used at least twice a day.”
The bleeding-edge of passive-aggressive note-writing, however, lies on the west coast, where Rebecca in San Francisco says that in the past, “We’ve had an ongoing series of notes left in the office kitchen — usually of the ‘your mother doesn’t work here’ or ‘there is no such thing as the coffee fairy’ variety.” The Koons-inspired piece currently on display in the office breakroom, however, makes its point with no words at all.
related: Why-fi
77 responses so far ↓
#1
park rose
Sow, that’s how it is.
May 23, 2008 at 12:17 pm rating: 90
#2
claw71
Going to the extent of getting a WTF stamp is just too much. It’s funny but it’s a joke that wears out its welcome long before the first batch of ink runs out.
I don’t bother with notes in the office. If there’s something in the sink that offends me I throw it away. No soaking allowed. I’ve had somebody watch me pitch their Tupperware and ask me what I thought I was doing. I told them I was doing my dishes and that their container was in my way.
I also feel for people who live with roommates who never pick up after themsleves but notes are trifling. I’m the kind of guy who will throw your snotty tissue into your bowl of Sugar Smacks while you’re watching reruns of Scrubs.
That’s because I’m what shrinks refer to as asshole aggressive.
May 23, 2008 at 12:20 pm rating: 90
#3
claw71
I’m also of the opinion that there is no such thing as a “cat accident”. Everything they do is part of the plan.
May 23, 2008 at 12:24 pm rating: 90
#4
secondsout
The last piece is something my mom would do. She actually has a plastic crab and whenever someone in my family is bitching too much, she leaves the crab on the offender’s pillow to make a point.
May 23, 2008 at 12:29 pm rating: 90
#5
secondsout
“not a trash can”
Correct you are. If you look carefully, that appears to be a used Kleenex, not a trash can.
May 23, 2008 at 12:33 pm rating: 90
#6
RunBarbara
Actually, I’ve decided to be on Team WTF Is In That Bowl?
It looks like month-old beans or salsa or something gross and Mexican….like Danny Trejo.
May 23, 2008 at 12:40 pm rating: 90
#7
Sarah
“Cat accident”? Since they’re abbreviating, why not just merge it to “catcident”?
May 23, 2008 at 1:00 pm rating: 90
#8
GhostWriter
All right players; the answer is, “This phrase has become a viral meme online, and is often used when discovering a mess in the wrong place.” The question is, as always, “What The Fuck??” Let’s see how everyone did.
“Carla, you’re the current champion with $12,600. Your question was…. ‘Cat Accident, and some sort of amazon.com logo‘ I’m sorry, that’s incorrect. You wagered… $2599, which drops you to $10,001.”
Victor, you’ve got $87oo. What was your question? “Not A Trash Can” That’s also incorrect. You bet $4000, dropping you to $4700.
GhostWriter, you’ve got a chance to win it all with the correct question. You said, “W T F? (what the fuck)?” and that is correct! You wagered all of your $5100, which gives you $10200, and you are today’s big winner!
YAY!
May 23, 2008 at 1:08 pm rating: 90
#9
Quite Contrary
WTF is only effective when written with sharpies.
May 23, 2008 at 1:14 pm rating: 90
#10
daniel
I can see the person at their office desk, angrily carving the pigs out of blocks of wood..
May 23, 2008 at 1:31 pm rating: 90
#11
Arthur and Amy
Well, ok. Maybe unpainted has more style.
May 23, 2008 at 1:51 pm rating: 90
#12
Cricket
I LOVE how the office worker wrote “what the fuck” directly under the “WTF” as if THEY just invented the abbreviation.
my response to any “WTF” note with it spelled out on the bottom would be another note that said “EM” a.k.a. “EAT ME”
May 23, 2008 at 1:52 pm rating: 90
#13
GhostWriter
The swine sculpture looks incomplete. I would add a morning’s-worth of bacon and sausage to the trough, and title it, “This Buffet Costs an Arm and a Leg.”
May 23, 2008 at 2:42 pm rating: 90
#14
NoPunIntended
Is it just me or is the PAN “Not a trashcan” more of a piece of trash than the original offending Kleenex?
I mean seriously, now who’s going to clean that shit up as well?
May 23, 2008 at 3:51 pm rating: 90
#15
amy d
Right next to the cat accident note, I would put another sticky note that said
Note from an asshole –>
on it.
May 23, 2008 at 4:16 pm rating: 90
#16
lizzie
We have a BULLSHIT stamp at my office. My brother had it made for me after listening to me bitch about work. It gets passed around from desk to desk, but never gets used for anything but levity. I like the WTF stamp. If its owner’s heart is in the right place.
May 23, 2008 at 5:37 pm rating: 90
#17
Lurker
My favorite WTF story:
I got a letter back from the post office marked UTF, for “unable to forward.” But, the clerk who wrote it had messy handwriting, and at first I thought the post office was givin’ me some ‘tude.
May 23, 2008 at 5:38 pm rating: 90
#18
aaa
WTF? is right. What the hell is that diarrhea-looking shit in that bowl?
May 23, 2008 at 6:19 pm rating: 90
#19
Zsa
I have lots and lots of co-workers that would not get the pigs and make some innane comment about “folk art.”
Maybe if you wrote in sharpie on the sides of the pigs? “your Momma” and “office worker 1″ / “ofice worker 2″ might be subtle enough for them. Oh and pink peni for the little piggies. “WTF?” in the manger might be the piece d’resistance. Totally a “WWJD” moment.
May 23, 2008 at 6:48 pm rating: 90
#20
TuesdayPillow
WTF? Your momma doesn’t work here. This bowl of month-old chili is a cat accident, not a trash can – you DOUCHE.
May 24, 2008 at 1:07 am rating: 90
#21
zombieBlanco
With a sigh, Emalia sank down into her sudsy warm bubble-bath. Day after day of the same mind-numbing work and what did she have to show for it? A pile of teeth buried in the yard and a back that was sore and aching from lugging around all that change. It was okay when it was just pennies, but now the kids expected a quarter or three, and it was just too much for her to keep up with.
As she slipped further into the bath, she contemplated what kind of career change she could hope to make in the slowing economy. Both Santa and the Easter Bunny had hiring freezes in place and everyone knew that the Halloween and Valentine’s Day gigs were just temp work without any benefits.
In the wink of an eye it came to her! Why, with just a small investment in easily portable stationary items she could become the PassiveAggressiveNote Fairy! Armed only with post-its, sharpies of various colors and her rapier wit she could wreak vengeance on vomiting cats, litterbugs, lunch thieves, bad tippers, uppity baristas, inconsiderate cell-phone users, nonpaying tenants, cheap parkers, ethnic food preparers, microwave time leavers, and people who shit anywhere except the toilet. In fact, she could be wherever justice need be done.
May 24, 2008 at 2:47 am rating: 90
#22
Brian
Personally, I liked the pig carvings. 10+ for creative expression. However, I’m guessing that they were the least effective of the PANs here. Do you really think someone who can’t take a few extra steps to the trash can is going to think about it enough to get it?
May 24, 2008 at 9:36 am rating: 90
#23
Cricket
I would’ve waited till after I’d eaten, then glued that nasty ass chili bowl to the TABLE…more effective.
but then again, these lazy assholes would leave it for the cleaning people to take care of and THAT is BULLSHIT.
which is WHY I will NEVER work in an office.
May 24, 2008 at 1:47 pm rating: 90
#24
Carlos the Dwarf
Only a fool would start a passive aggressive war with a creature that wouldn’t hesitate to throw up on your floor.
May 24, 2008 at 7:39 pm rating: 90
#25
Laura
Wandered in today. No great comment, just a hello.
May 25, 2008 at 1:57 pm rating: 90
#26
Jahzzie
Cats invented Passive Agressive, “I don’tlike the flavor of your plants, Im going to puke in your shoes to show my displeasure. ” The only time they do care is whenthe food bowl is empty.
May 25, 2008 at 6:46 pm rating: 90
#27
Charlotte
The best part is that the reverse-Magritte is responsible for leaving an even greater amount of litter than the original offender. Passive-aggressiveness + unintentional irony = delicious.
I’ll cop to intentionally ignoring late night feline regurgitations, though it’s less of a passive-aggressive stance than it is a “fuck it, someone else will take care of it in the morning” brand of laziness.
May 26, 2008 at 3:58 am rating: 90
#28
Froggy
ARGH! My ex-roommate left a nearly identical cat note (I believe hers said “cat puke”).
I honestly thought my head was going to explode.
Especially since, you know, I’d just done her dishes.
*grumble*
May 26, 2008 at 11:05 am rating: 90
#29
bellabeastie
Huh? I think it’s something about an interesting psychologist who has cancer…or men can have various … (you know).. or a brilliant large opening.
Who’s building a har (?) oven or forest den for the storks. Wow.
May 27, 2008 at 11:08 am rating: 90
#30
bellabeastie
Parlor for Sin? I like it.
Sign me up for a lifetime membership, please.
May 27, 2008 at 11:21 am rating: 90
#31
Persephone
The cat thing reminds me of a friend of mine who when very pregnant and sick and coming home from a stressful day of work, was greeted by her psycho husband telling her that the dog had had an accident and he had “saved” half of it for her to clean up.
May 27, 2008 at 12:30 pm rating: 90
#32
don oliver
Kerry,
Caught your picture in BizWeek and couldn’t resist checking out your blog. My only comment is that I’m right in my contention that there are too many people in this world with not enough to keep them busy with worthwhile pursuits.
May 27, 2008 at 10:23 pm rating: 90
#33
Russ
Gross. Really disgusting.
http://death-sentences.blogspot.com/
Jun 7, 2008 at 3:21 am rating: 90
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