We meet different people and work with them in different environments. The difference in individuality is what creates our unique characters. Weaponised incompetence is the act of strategically avoiding responsibilities by pretending to not be capable of a task so that another person can take over or take up the responsibility.
Weaponised incompetence happens in relationships, friendships, work settings, and also in families. This character is not a gender-based attribute, with both genders participating in it.
Let’s look at weaponised incompetence in relationships. In relationships, this character has mostly been seen in men. On TikTok, a husband was seen to perform this act knowingly. In the video, the husband is sent to the market to buy groceries but comes back with nothing from the list his partner has given him.
This is mostly done to make your partner require less from you and end up doing all the chores on their own. It works by conditioning them to think you are unable to perform the task at hand.
Another place Weaponised incompetence takes place is the workplace. This is where allocated group work is left to be done by you without your knowledge. When inquiring about the said work, you are always given the approach that you are the best at, even when it does not fit your job description.
When assigning work to someone else, it is always done carelessly, leaving you to still take it up and redo it. This always results in the work being left in your hands. When it comes to family, it works similarly to relationships.
Something as simple as cooking can be weaponised against you. This is where a sibling cooks in the worst way possible, even if they are skilled at cooking. This is done to prevent more work from being assigned to them.