IsabellaLinton wrote:
KitLily wrote:
I've worked out ONE way to know if someone is toxic/unsupportive/unsafe. I'm in my 50s so I'm pretty late to do this

It is if they immediately jump to the defence of someone you are having a problem with, even/especially if they don't know that person. Instead of defending you, who is present and their friend.
I agree that it's not cool to "immediately jump to the defence" of the other person.
That's just weird.
I don't automatically jump to the defence of anyone, unless it's an obvious case of someone going to hit someone else or needing physical protection...
If my friend had an issue with someone else I'd want to know the details...
Chances are, once I get the information to see both perspectives or see "evidence" of what happened, I'll defend my friend because chances are my friends have the same values I do and 100% I care about their mental wellbeing...
I think that's what you're trying to say, but I just thought I should put it in my own words. I'm trying to say it's repeat incidents of me determining "Hey, I'm on your side" that make me consider someone a friend, rather than me friending them first and defending them automatically - no matter what happens - later on.
You've given a very reasonable account of what you would do Isabella. I just cut it down so my post wouldn't be too long.
I've unfortunately experienced so many people who immediately take the side of an unknown person they don't know instead of me, who they do know, when they have no idea of the perspectives or the whole situation. It's like a reflex: someone upsets me so immediately I am wrong and the other person is right. I don't know why this happens. I need support and help, yet I am immediately forced to consider the other person's situation without any time to explain how I feel and what happened. You're right, it's weird.
Yes I'd never befriend someone first and defend them automatically, that's the wrong way round.
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That alien woman. On Earth to observe and wonder about homo sapiens.