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This article has been viewed , times. Learn more At some point, everyone has to deal with put-downs from others. Whether it's a bully at school or a nasty coworker, we've all been insulted at some point. Some people say nasty things to get attention, and in some cases, the best response is just to ignore them. If that isn't working though, at some point you'll need to respond. A good comeback, whether humorous or earnest, can sometimes put a stop to a bully's insults.
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Create an account. Edit this Article. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. By using our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Cookie Settings. Learn why people trust wikiHow. Download Article Explore this Article methods. Tips and Warnings. Related Articles. Method 1. Consider the situation. The first step in determining how best to respond to any insult is think about the situation and the source of the insult. If the person who is insulting you is a friend and is joking around, feel free to joke back!
If he has actually hurt your feelings though, you may want to discuss that. If this person is really your friend, he will not want to hurt you. Decide on an approach. If the person is a bully or someone else who wants to hurt your feelings, decide if you want to ignore her or respond. If you want to respond, you have a few options: Make a funny comeback to make her feel foolish. Make an earnest comeback aimed at stopping the behavior.
Try to have a conversation with her to try to get at the root of the problem. Listen closely and think of a way to make the other person look foolish. To make a good humorous comeback, you need to respond directly to what the other person said to you. A comeback that is off topic won't be effective or funny.
People won't get it, and you'll be the one who ends up looking silly. It's easy to get caught up in thinking about what you are going to say next and not really pay attention to what the other person is saying, especially if what the bully is saying isn't very nice. Try to pay close attention to what he is saying about you. His insults should provide the basis for your comeback.
A good comeback is one that makes the other person look foolish for insulting you. For example, if someone calls you ugly, you could respond by saying: "Too bad you can't Photoshop your ugly personality.
Show disdain or amusement. Before delivering your comeback, you need to show that the insult hasn't hurt you — on the contrary, you should make it apparent that you think what the bully has said to you is stupid. Your look has to match your words. Raise an eyebrow, laugh, roll your eyes. Anything to show how ridiculous you think the other person's words were. Respond quickly. For a funny comeback to work, you have to get it out right away.
If you are halfway down the hall before you think it up, it won't be effective. If this is an ongoing problem, there's a good possibility you'll have another chance. Remain professional.
If the bully you are responding to is someone you work with, stand up for yourself. Do not, however, cross the line into being unprofessional. In a workplace situation, for example, a good comeback might be one one that points out how the bully's behavior is hurting productivity.
Don't make one that that mocks her appearance or intelligence. Method 2. Take a breath. Sometimes a more earnest response is a better one — an insulting comeback can end up provoking more of the same or worse. You still, however, need to show the bully that you aren't hurt by his words, even if you are. Take a deep breath. If you are angry, try to let the feeling go. Anger is what the bully wants to see, so don't give in and show it.
Try to put on a "poker face" that doesn't reveal any feelings one way or the other. You can practice this in the mirror at home to make this easier. Act confident. When you respond to the bully, show that you are confident.
It's not just that you aren't angry or hurt — you feel fine about yourself and and confident in your response. Stand up straight, and look the bully in the eye. Speak in a calm, clear voice. You can tell the person insulting you something like: "Your words don't affect me," or, "I don't let people like you get to me. Show you aren't hurt. Respond verbally with a comment that shows that the insult hasn't hurt you, or that the bully's words are unimportant to you.
Here are some good examples: I heard you, but I don't care. You're wasting your breath. Real mature. Are you done? Wow, you discovered I look different than you.
Consider shaming the other person. You might consider a response that promotes feelings of shame for the bully. I resolved to focus on them in my own comeback attempt. The first step in an effective comeback is to remain flexible and adaptable. As the comeback experience unfolds, there are invariably bumps in the road, setbacks, and circumstances that require us to change plans, readjust expectations, and refocus our priorities. In my comeback, I found myself doing this on an almost weekly basis.
The more often I did it, the more adaptable I became. And the more adaptable I became, the more progress I made toward achieving my goals. Next, I realized that recovering from a major setback requires self-discipline, and a different kind of self-discipline than what we runners use in a regular training cycle. Comeback self-discipline requires us to frequently step back from day-to-day training in order to keep an eye on the big picture, focus on long-term goals, and accept the fact that sometimes less is more, consistency is of the utmost importance, and staying the course is how we can successfully return.
Finally, the most common characteristic of the comebacks I examined was optimism. About halfway through last summer, it became clear that in order for me to come back from my surgery to run again, I needed to truly believe I could come back. I needed the conviction to hope for the best and remain positive even in the midst of the down times.
That could improve the quality of your zinger. And we prefer something that is well-stated and has a fun energy and wit about it," Scott Talan, a social media expert at American University, tells Mental Floss. But don't wait too long: Replies lose their punch after a day or so. Some companies have excelled in deploying savage social media burns as marketing strategies, winning viral retweets and recognition. George Costanza learns that lesson when he uses his rehearsed comeback at the next meeting.
BY Talib Visram. But the moment has passed. Subscribe to our Newsletter!
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