Contempt Is Poison

Of the Four Horsemen, contempt is the deadliest. It's sarcasm, mockery, eye-rolling, and dismissiveness.

The antidote to contempt is building a culture of appreciation. Gottman's work suggests stable couples tend to show about five positive interactions for every negative one during conflict. That is not a rigid scorecard; it is a reminder that warmth has to heavily outweigh damage.