You are confrontational, and you enjoy creating conflict to put yourself at the center of attention. You just don't go about it directly. You just take a more passive aggressive approach. You hate direct confrontation because you know that your own behavior would be called out, and that would destroy your fragile ego, and delusional sense of self worth. The only people you care about are those that you can control, walk all over, and those that cater to your egotistical tendencies.

"I expect that a mature adult should understand that certain types of behaviour are generally frowned upon by the majority of us. So, if you’re behaving badly..."

Nobody seriously believes that majority censure is really grounds for something being bad. Last century's socialist violence in nazi germany and communist russia, etc. showed that there's no reason to accept majority rule as valid.

If you don't like something, it's because you don't, not because you're a representative of "the majority." And even if you were, that's not the issue. The issue is that you're passive-aggressive, you expect to give people nonverbal cues, which you expect them to obey, and if they don't, you get really angry.

Perhaps it's your silent treatment, and inability to deal with confrontation head on that inspires the behavior in others that you dislike.

People aren't mind readers. What you consider “bad behaviour”, others may not. Or, by your silence, they may feel like you're okay with their behaviour, especially if you stick around after the bad behaviour has occurred (even if it's only temporary because you're giving them "enough rope to hang themselves with” while you silently judge them.). This is a boundary issue. Setting, communicating, and enforcing boundaries is one of the most challenging issues that people face in their daily lives yet it’s one of the most essential life skills that you can learn. Boundaries are crucial to protecting your mental and emotional health. Very few people actually enjoy confrontation and “the silent treatment” is a classic example of avoidance; it’s both passive-aggressive and manipulative to expect that people (even people you know well) are going to anticipate and act upon your feelings even when you don’t openly communicate your feelings to them by using your words.

In this scenario, I would suggest that when your friend behaves in a manner that you find offensive, you should always try to come from a place of kindness because, yes, people have off days (or even off weeks!). Take your friend aside and ask if there's something wrong, or if there's something going on in their life that's making them act out. Explain that you're not down with their behaviour and want to know if you can do anything to help them resolve whatever made them act out. Then – and this is really important! – understand that their response is *completely* out of your hands. If s/he responds positively, then you have an opportunity to be a supportive friend by helping them work through whatever prompted the ‘bad’ behaviour. If s/he responds negatively, then you need to enforce your boundary by distancing yourself. No matter the outcome, you’ve successfully communicated your boundary and given your friend the opportunity to respond. As long as you’re setting, communicating, and enforcing your boundaries effectively you’ll be well on your way to optimum mental and emotional health. Beware of using boundaries in an unethical manner though! Boundaries aren’t a means of controlling other people, e.g. “If you don’t do this, I’m going to do that.” They're a way of managing your personal space, your ethics, your health and wellbeing. Best of luck on your journey!

You're a lucky guy to find a heart as rare as that. Hold on to her. I'm afraid I'm going to be successful before I find such a heart, so I'll end up never knowing if I can fully trust the heart I'm with should any of life's disasters strike.

I hear ya. Described my thoughts exactly over the past year or so. I need to force myself to stop bailing people out of their basic lifeskill inadequacies. I am about to come to the apex very soon and just need to stay strongwilled in my resolve.

Impressive. This is the most direct definition of "passive aggressive" I've ever seen.
Especially with the generalizations and ambiguity. "... attitude/behaviour. I expect that a mature adult should understand that certain types of behaviour are generally frowned upon by the majority of us."
I'm polite but not the least bit interested in conforming to social norms. So an undesirable, by this definition. Nothing new here.
Just out of curiosity, please share age group (decade will do) and birth gender.

I think this is a great confession about how you interact with others, and it seems to me very honest and well thought out. I encourage you to keep looking into this and reflecting on how this approach makes you feel and really flesh it out as best you can. You have the most to gain from it, and I think you're onto something big. I agree with you that it's not your responsibility to change the behaviour of others.

Not passive aggression at all. I don't agree with the person in question. I don't pretend in any way that I'm okay with it. I simply often don't say anything when they behave badly. I will just walk away. Anyone who doesn't know by the time they're an adult that certain behaviours are not okay, isn't likely to change just because I point it out. What's the point in having a full-blown fight when it's clear the person is so clueless in the first place? Like I said, I don't do it first time, or even second time. This happens over history. If they're ignorant enough not to get it, then I haven't got time for it.

"The Trial"
The parallels are amazing.
I wasn't a philosophy major (just a dabbler, really), but this was like reading an interpretation of that classic.
Very nicely done.