We all have that one person around us that may be our Boss, Colleague, family member or a friend who loves teasing people by passing sarcastic remarks or comments. Sarcasm is something which is believed to be a “boon”, an add on to your wit but unfortunately it is a bane rather than being a boon. Earlier it was believed that people who can use sarcasm just at the right time and at the right place where considered witty but now Sarcasm is considered the lowest form of wit though sometimes it is genuinely funny but sometimes things get unbearable. According to the recent research Sarcasm is thinly veiled meanness. Being friends with sarcastic people is not easy, you may end up getting hurt by them. Hanging with them is as annoying as hilarious. It can be an act of offending and defending both. You can either offend your friends or defend yourself in front of your sarcastic “SO -CALLED FRIEND”. If we try to understand the psychology of people using sarcasm we will come to know that they think it to be less hurtful than the victim. Actually there may be two reasons people are quite interested in reading about topics like “SARCASM” either you are fed up of what is happening around you and want to save yourself from going crazy or you are one of those people who bully other people by their harsh comments.
So whenever you enter the “RED-ZONE” of such RED people you must keep somethings in your mind.
10. QUICK MOOD CHECK
Being friends with sarcastic people is just like a duty, a duty to save yourself from being attacked unnecessarily, so whenever they try to get sarcastic do have look at their moods. Some people use it when they get irritated or are disgusted by something. They may use their so called “WIT” when they are surrounded by many people. Whenever someone around me takes up sarcastic tone the first thing I try to analyse is the root cause of the problem they have as some may do it use it due to Social Awkwardness. Don’t talk to them in “DON’T MESS WITH ME” MOOD. They might burst out.
9. CONVEYING THEM
Please pay ATTENTION. Don’t start avoiding their rude comments from the very beginning as they may trouble you later and if you have actually committed the mistake then you can keep on reading. You can even be clear while conveying them about their being sarcastic and passing rude remarks in the name of humour. Ask them to keep the fun away from insult. Make them understand the difference between spice and spite.
8. SAY BYE- BYE
if a person is trying to put you down and wants to rise by treating you like a “STEPPING STONE”, they are not worth your time and friendship. They aren’t really your friends. It’s you who is being a fool here by keeping bonds with them. Cutting ties with sarcastic people is a good measure indeed. Our personal integrity is worth protecting and saving, nothing is more important.
7. MAKE THEM FEEL LIKE A STUPID
Go on and correct them by making your point crystal clear and proving their irritable comments a shear peace of stupidity (this would add a fun element to your life at least). Just retaliate, in this way they would forget their comment and will keep on thinking about what you did. A Hindi saying says that “AGAR SEEDHI UNGLI SE GHEE NA NIKLE TOH UNGLI TEDI KARLO” In simple language it is just a “TIT FOR TAT” technique. Answer them in the way they deserve.
6. SNEAK PEAK INTO THEIR MOTIVES
Carefully analyse their intensions. Just be a detective and follow Sherlock Holmes or just follow the techniques of Agatha Christie in finding, what are the actual intentions of the person who is passing sarcastic comments. Some people have the habit of saying anything without thinking how will it affect the mentality of receiver and they don’t really intend to hurt you. You might answer back the wrong person if don’t really take a sneak-peak into their intentions. If you find the food to be full of vengeance rather than vinegar, point it out and let the people know. Let spite be different from spice. Don’t speak unnecessarily and just Don’t stay quite everytime.
5. GIVE THEM BACK ON THEIR FACES
Give them back what they gave you. Target their weakness. A sarcastic person finds it difficult to take back what they do with others so just turn their words around. Be ready to attack whenever possible. Just wait for the commands of
“ON YOUR MARKS”
“GET SET”
“GO”.
This may show them even you have the talent to speak up and rise up against what is wrong but you don’t waste it unnecessarily.
4. Make them taste their own medicine
Get inspired from “Indian Mythology.” The way in which “Arjun” from “Mahabharata” (Hindu Holy Book) had only one mission that was to target the “Eye of the fish”, Giving them what they give others should be you mission if they piss you off. Repeat what they said. Keep on repeating till the time they realise what they were actually doing even if it includes blabbing useless stuff!
Example-
I like your hairstyle by the way.
I like “YOUR” hairstyle.
3. ACT LIKE A STUPID (even if you are not)
Now a days we all have the special ability of sensing and smelling sarcasm just the way a dog smells the food but acting like a stupid who finds it hard to understand Sarcasm will help you only. Act as if you didn’t get what they were trying to say. Keep on behaving as normal as you were before their “comment”. Just be innocent baby who looks even at the horrible things with a lovable glance. Give them a bright and beautiful smile. Keep yourself Calm till the time you can.
2. OH! I DON’T GIVE A DAMN
You know what whenever I find something annoying around me actually “someone” who is annoying to that extend that I could smash his/her face I just start laughing on his/her face this annoys them more which surely satisfies me. Act like an insane and start laughing on their faces, this would surely irritate them. Show them you don’t care about their sarcastic comments or even their presence. Don’t give them a chance to be cool in public or even alone. Their mental peace is their strength so start tampering.
1. TALK TO MY HAND STRATEGY
If you have already committed the mistake of avoiding them from the beginning, avoid them even now but make sure you do it in the bitterest way you can, this is the golden rule. This is the treatment that they deserve in the first position (It saves your efforts at least). Just walk away, show them how uninterested you are in talking to them and even in looking at their faces. Actually it would be even better to just take no notice of them.
REMEMBER!! They might be smart and mean but just go on show them who is the daddy. Show them their position and make them aware about the consequences of “Teaching a Teacher” who is just not interested in showing off his wit or knowledge unnecessarily.