How to retaliate to people who swear at you, and demean you, while still maintaining one's cool and virtue.

Question

Hi, I'm a teenager in high school, and I was just wondering if anyone had any tips on how to retaliate to people who choose to swear at me, etc. I do not want to swear back at them, so what can i say back to them to convey the point, while still maintaining my composure and presence

Answer 1

When I'm in that type of situation --

If it's a discussion I can't avoid or someone I must talk to, I tell them. "Excuse me. I can appreciate that you're upset (or whatever the situation is), but I will not be spoken to in this manner. Please calm down or we can continue this discussion later." And I'm not mean about it; I try to remain calm, and simply convey -- firmly -- that I do not and will not accept their verbal abuse. It usually works wonders.

On the rare occasion that someone won't calm down and stop ranting and cursing, I interrupt them at the earliest possible moment, and simply say, "I will not continue this conversation in this manner," then walk away or hang up, etc.

The key is to remain calm and hope that your attitude can positively influence the other party's. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Unfortunately these people only understand violence, since that's what they are doing to you. If you are the peaceful type and aren't into mustering up the negative energy to retaliate in kind, then I suggest you go the other way and immerse yourself in positive things. Let them die of envy and wonder why the hell their taunts mean nothing. Success is the best revenge.

Answer 3

Ignore them. There were girls in high school who always tried to pick a fight with me, usually over some boy. They'd swear at me across the hall, yell "f'ing bi***!" I'd just wave and go about my business. If they got in my face, I'd just stand there and listen, eventually they'd run out of things to say and they'd wait for me to respond and I'd just say "are you finished?I have to go to class"
It really drove them crazy.

Answer 4

Good for you. You sound respectable and peaceable!

When they say these mean things ask them: "How's life at home? Did you get any sleep last night?"

This will stop them in their tracks.

You are slapping them directly in the face proving you are in charge and they have got problems most likely from home and are taking it out on innocent you.

Answer 5

Ignoring them is a good thing but it is difficult to do. You could say something like, "I really don't know why you talk like that because it makes you sound (or look) stupid." plus "I thought you were smarter than that." Something that might make the bully feel on the spot?

Bully's and crude people are not fun to deal with and most people even the friends they think they have secretly don't like it either!

Answer 6

Keep your cool, they are the ones exposing their own ignorance, you don't have to say a word, just get a grip on your emotions and be the bigger man than they are. Young men use foul language to sound impressive to cover up their own insecurities.

Answer 7

Smile, shake your head and walk away. If they choose to keep yelling at you and cussing at you, everyone will look at them and see what fools they look like. Just stay on a classier level than them and don't let them see you get flustered, they would actually enjoy that.

Answer 8

Ignore them completely or just shake your head at them slowly in a left to right movement in a disapproving manor.

Answer 9

You could walk away, but if I were you before I walked away I'd give them a really mean stare from the corner of my eye or a gaze that way they know that I don't appreciate what they're doing.

Answer 10

I would personally speak the language of knuckle sandwich to them, in that it always gets the point across and they never seem to make the same mistake twice.

Darryl S.