First off, there are sarcastic people and then there are negative people.  I’m of the sarcastic camp and will say some pretty horrifically sarcastic things, but that doesn’t mean I’m negative.  Negative people can use sarcasm to disguise their speech, but they usually react to situations only with criticism, deflection, and discouraging remarks.  You can spend your whole day building a project and a negative person will only say ‘you forgot this.’  They constantly only see the bad things in life and only comment on what is wrong.  They have become so bitter with their lives that it spills out into their words and actions.  When you constantly have to be around a negative person, they will unconsciously bring your happiness level down because they are so miserable and cannot find happiness within themselves.  It is not wise to keep these people in your life.

People who are negative are stuck. They are dissatisfied with parts of their lives and either feel as if it is out of their control or something put upon them from the start.  They do not like where they are, but they also do not know how or cannot change their situation.   Because they cannot change, they become jaded about their present situations and it will show through how they treat others.  Some of these people are physically stuck, but the majority of them are emotionally stuck.  There is something they can’t let go of or deal with, and unlike denial, where a person tucks it away, they are aware of the trauma, but cannot or will not deal with it.  Because they feel miserable, they will project this onto others to normalize their own feelings.  They use sarcasm to elevate themselves and feel superior to others, but their words are laced with poison that only drives to make them more miserable.  Some people equate sarcasm to negativity, but it is not the same thing.  I am perfectly happy being sarcastic as hell and can still support people.

People who are negative may or may not have reasons to have such a negative outlook on life based off their experiences, but what they don’t realize is that what they put out greatly affects the moods and attitudes of those around them.  When someone oozes negativity, you can feel it. If they can’t find the time to lift themselves up, they certainty will not not lift you up, and some will even resort to tearing you down so they can feel better about their own lives.  They see people who are happy as idiots because that is the only way they can justify someone being so happy.  If you are forced to spend time with a negative person, you can try giving them one compliment a day.  Just as they can influence you, you can influence them.  Overall, they can become draining as it takes a lot of energy to deal with them. It would be in your best interest to surround yourself with people who can build you up and support you instead of tearing you down.