How to Deal With Insults and Put-Downs

Insults and put-downs can damage our prospects and happiness by undermining our self-confidence and self esteem. Even causal denigration (so called microaggressions) can, over time, lead to feelings of isolation, alienation, anger, anxiety, and depression.


Insults can be physical, such as punching, slapping, or spitting. But more usually, they are verbal, whether direct or indirect. Examples of indirect verbal insults are jokes, ironic comments, backhanded compliments, mimicry, and false fascination.

All of the above involve some kind of positive action, and therefore count as insults of commission. But insults of omission are equally if not more common. Examples of insults of omission are not inviting or including someone, not deferring to their age or rank, and not responding to their friendly openings, including basic eye contact. Xenophobia, I have found, is when you smile at people and they don’t smile back.

So, what’s the best way of dealing with all these different kinds of insult and injury?


Credit/Source:- ⁣https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYEd0VIdMIQ