Misty Harris, writing for the Vancouver Sun, on a recent study from the City University of New York:
The silent treatment is almost universally acknowledged as negative, thanks to its damaging social and psychological outcomes. A new study, however, finds a notable exception when it comes to complete jackasses.
Turns out, when somebody is so obnoxious that it’s exhausting just to talk to them, cutting conversational ties is actually a positive mental health strategy - one that allows people to save their cognitive capital for more fruitful activities. Say, watching paint dry.
The silent treatment may be better for your health, but arguments are more invigorating.