# Word for conflict seekers **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 25, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942 "2015-03-25T15:08:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/1 "2015-03-25T15:08:36Z")
I’m not thinking of drama queen, not people who cause conflict, just people who look for it. I’m thinking about someone whose posts always come in my Facebook feed, and all the stories are about some highly charged emotional poorly reported news story. At first I thought he had some sort of political bent, but, no the only thing he seems to gravitate towards is low information emotionally charged news whatever side of the political spectrum it is on. So, is there a name for this sort of thing/behavior? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/2 "2015-03-25T15:23:34Z")
Ambulance chaser? Troll? Glurgemeister? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/3 "2015-03-25T15:36:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Ambulance chaser? Troll? Glurgemeister? Glurgemeister? Sounds like a type of German artillery. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/4 "2015-03-25T17:33:11Z")
Rabble-rouser? [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rabble-rouser](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/rabble-rouser) The most accurate definition is not a single word, but this line describing The Joker in The Dark Knight: “Some men just want to watch the world burn.” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/5 "2015-03-25T21:32:06Z")
“Drama Queen” is sometimes used to describe people sort of like in the OP: they love drama, drawn to it, help it along when needed. But it also has a broader meaning. (And it’s gender neutral in our world.) The best term I’ve heard to describe someone who _starts_ trouble for it’s own sake is “mixer” as used to describe Paul’s grandfather in _A Hard Day’s Night_. ---
**Author:** ![drachillix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/48db29/32.png) [@drachillix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drachillix)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/6 "2015-03-25T21:37:23Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > So, is there a name for this sort of thing/behavior? Shit disturber…as in always stirring it up. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/7 "2015-03-25T21:38:14Z")
“Shit stirrer” comes to mind. Damnit. Shit ninja’d ---
**Author:** ![Peanuthead](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peanuthead/32/360_2.png) [@Peanuthead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peanuthead)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/8 "2015-03-25T21:49:47Z")
Gadfly? ---
**Author:** ![Uniqueorn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/uniqueorn/32/2807_2.png) [@Uniqueorn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uniqueorn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2015, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/9 "2015-03-25T22:03:33Z")
Is there a noun for someone who is pugnacious? ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/10 "2015-03-26T00:17:39Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > I’m not thinking of drama queen, not people who cause conflict, just people who look for it. At first I was thinking “politician” but after reading the whole line I would say “cable news reporter”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![HoneyBadgerDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/honeybadgerdc/32/1033_2.png) [@HoneyBadgerDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HoneyBadgerDC)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/11 "2015-03-26T00:27:07Z")
Bored ---
**Author:** ![Bone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bone/32/407_2.png) [@Bone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bone)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/12 "2015-03-26T00:52:21Z")
polemicist. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/13 "2015-03-26T01:01:16Z")
Conflict oriented? Rage addict? high conflict personality? I’ve heard terms like that. [http://www.pchtreatment.com/high-conflict-personality-treatment-center/](http://www.pchtreatment.com/high-conflict-personality-treatment-center/) > [@](#): > > What are the Symptoms of High Conflict Personality? > > HCP, given its overlap with the antisocial, borderline, narcissistic and histrionic personality disorders, may be more of a descriptive term than a specific diagnosis. Persons with HCP tend to have several things in common. They initiate and receive reward from conflict with others, and they are usually at the center of whatever conflict is occurring. They appear to treat conflict as normal and expected in their interactions, to a point at which conflict becomes a defining aspect of relationships. They are adept at escalating conflict and at blaming others. > > At the same time, they have great difficulty seeing things through the eyes of others and they are extremely reluctant to take responsibility in their lives or to accept blame when things go wrong. They are often referred to as “chronic blamers.” They tend to be emotional, aggressive, mistrustful and controlling. They easily see themselves as victims, and they are extremely resistant to acknowledging that they may have contributed, in even the smallest way, to making a situation difficult. > > For people with HCP, the world appears in black and white. Others are either with them or against them. They have little or no insight into their own behavior, and they are easily threatened by interpretations of behaviors that do not comport with their own worldview. Splitting is an important concept among persons with high conflict personalities. The people around them are perceived as all good (over-idealized) or all bad (devalued). Someone who has “split” off a family member or friend may refuse contact with that person and may speak very negatively about them. ---
**Author:** ![Why\_Child](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b782af/32.png) [@Why\_Child](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Why_Child)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/14 "2015-03-26T01:58:56Z")
Doomsayer? Pot stirrer? ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/15 "2015-03-26T02:59:11Z")
Pathos Junkie ---
**Author:** ![Kenm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bc79bd/32.png) [@Kenm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kenm)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/16 "2015-03-26T03:11:59Z")
Reactionary. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/17 "2015-03-26T03:12:08Z")
Cop? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/77aa72/32.png) [@Mr.Nylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nylock)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/18 "2015-03-26T04:08:57Z")
> [@Wesley\_Clark](#): > > Conflict oriented? Rage addict? high conflict personality? I’ve heard terms like that. > > [http://www.pchtreatment.com/high-conflict-personality-treatment-center/](http://www.pchtreatment.com/high-conflict-personality-treatment-center/) This is kinda close to what I was describing in the OP, but not exactly. What it does describe exactly though, is my boss. Which is good, because his behavior makes no sense from a trying to maintain his job security perspective - so until I read your post I could make very little sense of his actions. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/19 "2015-03-26T04:54:54Z")
> [@Uniqueorn](#): > > Is there a noun for someone who is pugnacious? Pugnaceur? ---
**Author:** ![yo\_han\_go](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yo_han_go/32/130_2.png) [@yo\_han\_go](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yo_han_go)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2015, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942/20 "2015-03-26T10:44:24Z")
> [@Mr.Nylock](#): > > This is kinda close to what I was describing in the OP, but not exactly. > > What it does describe exactly though, is my boss. Which is good, because his behavior makes no sense from a trying to maintain his job security perspective - so until I read your post I could make very little sense of his actions. Same goes for my ex boss (chief editor) too. Probably shortened my life span by about 20% in 5 years. But I wonder, how should one cope with such people? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-for-conflict-seekers/715942.md?page=2)