by Bridget Webber

Created on: November 01, 2007   Last Updated: February 14, 2011

Wouldn't it be wonderful to be able to respond to a rude person with an incredibly amusing and intelligent response that cuts them to the quick of their indolent minds? Unfortunately most of us either think of a witty one liner long after the event or are at a complete loss of how to deal with a rude person either at the time, or even with the benefit of hindsight.

There are, however, certain ways to deal with such people that can be planned in advance. These pointers can help a person to stand up to the other person without losing face and without lowering themselves to the diminutive level of the other.

The first point to consider is the importance of the event. Here are some questions to ask yourself upon encountering a rude person.

1. Is the event important to you? Or can you walk away and forget it?

2. Is the rude person someone whom you will have to encounter on a regular basis?

If the event has important personal significance for you then you may feel angry or hurt. If however the rude person just made a flippant remark which could have been aimed at anyone then you may be able to rise above the situation and just walk away from them, safe in the knowledge that their behavior will be unlikely to afford them with as many as friends that you probably have.

Sometimes realizing that ignoring a rude person is the easiest response can be a wise decision.

At other times, particularly if they have verbally attacked you in a personal manner that makes you feel belittled or hurt then you may feel that a response is in-order so that you can retain confidence.

Like-wise, if the rude person is someone whom you have to see often then you will not want to be encountering such behavior regularly from them.

The best way to stop rudeness in its tracks is with honesty. Most people who are rude are used to others responding to them in a defensive manner which is often verbally aggressive.

There is every chance that the rude person actually desires to elicit a defensive response so that they can let out their own frustrations on the other person by arguing back.

Responding to a rude person by either being rude in return or by issuing an emotional ramble induced by stress gives them the opportunity to continue being rude.

The most effective response is to tell the rude person how what they did or said has affected you. Doing this in a calm and collected manner will immediately elevate you whilst showing the other person that they have a social responsibility not to be rude.

On some occasions the rude person will have never been issued with such a response and may never have even considered how their behavior affects others.

Hopefully such honesty on your part will make the rude person consider changing. If it does not, at least you will have behaved responsibly and maturely yourself as well as standing up for yourself.

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