You know them when you see them, and the truth is that arrogant people with their bad attitude can negatively affect your day, unless you’re armed with one or more of these great responses. An arrogant person has decided to believe that he is somehow superior to you, when in truth, we are all equal human beings with differences that do not make us more or less valuable.
How you respond or react to these people when you meet them can affect your peace of mind. Your response to an arrogant person is also a reflection on your integrity as a person who stands up for yourself.
Arrogant people share the following traits with narcissistic personality disorder according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, which is used to diagnose psychological problems:
* Believes that he or she is “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should be associated with, other special or high-status people (or institutions).
* Require excessive admiration.
He has a sense of entitlement, that is, unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic fulfillment of his expectations.
* Is interpersonally exploitative, that is, he takes advantage of others to achieve his own ends.
* Lacks empathy: is unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others.
* Displays arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes.
1. “NOW WHAT MAKES YOU SAY THIS?”
The goal of this response is to help the arrogant person identify the rationale behind the generalization, stereotype, or description he just used. We hope that they can realize that they made a negative statement that is being challenged, and will stop once they have been called upon to speak about their behavior.
2. “OUCH” OR “UY”.
Well, if they’re hurting feelings, be it yours or someone else’s, say it like you see it. This is hurtful language that the arrogant person is using and this response can help them realize the damage they are doing.
3. “YOU KNOW MY MOTHER IS ___, RIGHT?”
An arrogant person is more likely to select a group of people by race, sexual orientation, education, etc. and talk about negative stereotypes. The reason for this is that by putting others down, the arrogant person is trying to elevate himself by comparison. You can quickly stop negative talk by implying that someone close to you is a member of the group that the arrogant person is putting down. This surprises them as they realize that their negative talk will not be tolerated, but it is also an insult to you personally. A quick apology and exit from the rude person is likely at this point.
4. “DO YOU KNOW THERE ARE OTHER POINTS OF VIEW?”
You and everyone else are entitled to your opinion, but the arrogant person must realize that their negative opinion of others is not necessarily true of other people.
5. “TELL ME AGAIN, WHY ARE YOU SUPERIOR TO ____?”
Arrogant people think they are better than others. This might result in some interesting answers, but most likely he made them squirm uncomfortably as he practically said “He’s not superior to that other person”.
6. “I WOULD APPRECIATE IF IT WERE THE FINAL WORDS YOU SAID ON THIS SUBJECT”.
Let’s end that conversation as rudely as the arrogant person started it. The point of this response is to put a stop to their hateful words, but then again, arrogant people like to listen to themselves, so you may need to be more obvious about why you want them to stop.
7. “YOU NEED TO STOP TALKING NOW.”
Ending the conversation with an arrogant person can be as easy as walking away, but leave them with something to think about before you walk away. However, it is very possible that you will not have any impact on the arrogant person, because obviously, they consider themselves far superior despite the evidence of his evil.
8. “I’m sure you didn’t mean for that to sound so arrogant, did you?”
This answer assumes good intentions, even if you have no proof that they mean well. This language actually lets the arrogant person out, saying no, of course, they didn’t mean to sound rude, but it also makes it clear that you refuse to play their game of putting others down.
9. “Do you realize how arrogant you sound when you say things like that to yourself?”
Point out his arrogant behavior and let him know that it is completely unacceptable. Psychologists who study personality traits say that “modest people are not preoccupied with themselves; arrogant people have an exaggerated view of themselves.” On a scale of personality traits, arrogance is associated with being calculating or manipulative towards others in a social situation.
