Have you ever been the butt of someone’s joke? It isn’t a comfortable position to be in, especially if the joke is mean or malicious. You could react in a number of ways and here are some of the recommended methods for handling the situation:
Ignore the joke. Bullies are notorious for picking on people they think they can push around. These people are usually insecure and short on attention. To get it, they make fun of other people. The trick is to ignore these idiots. By not giving them the attention they crave, they start losing interest in you and move on to the next victim.
Joke back in style. If you’re a really witty person, you can deflect their nastiness with a joke of your own. Everyone likes hearing a battle of wits and seeing the underdog win.
Just make sure your comeback is witty and delivered in style. This has two purposes. The first is to defend yourself. The second is to intimidate your attacker. If everyone laughs when you make your comeback, the bully will think twice about delivering another blow as he or she might come up short and become the butt of the joke.
Accept it. So what if they make you the butt of their joke? Who the hell cares? You are the king! You are royalty while they are the court jesters. Yes, you’re too confident to even regard anything they say as important. By accepting it with disdain, you automatically invalidate whatever they say.
Look behind the joke. Perhaps understanding the reason the joke was made in the first place can give you insight to your opponent’s feelings. Perhaps in a previous incident you hurt him or her unintentionally and the person is taking it out on you through a joke. In private, ask the person if there is anything wrong. You might be surprised by the answer.
Everyone, one way or another, will eventually end up in a situation where they have to defend themselves from someone’s crassness. When this happens, hopefully you’ll follow one of these suggestions and be able to handle the situation like a pro.
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