Is he drunk?TLDR: Some people in life are particularly perverse and will abuse you and your kindness and when you realize it happened, it's too late.
How do you prevent this from happening?
------------------------------------------------------------------------
The full story:
IMPORTANT NOTE: THIS IS NOT A POLITICAL POST. We are not arguing political views here, I just told the story how it happened. The rules of the forum say we cannot discuss politics. Please comply. Thank you : )
My roommate invited some friends of hers for dinner yesterday night. I joined them at the end of the dinner because I wanted to work on my projects.
When I entered the room, I said hi to everyone, and took a seat. What followed happened fast and without me opening my mouth.
My roommate started saying out loud that I had complained earlier that I valued things less when they were easy to get than when they were hard (because I got an internship in a praised political institution and while I was happy at first, I told her my realization that it wasn't as hard to get as I thought it would be decreased the value I hold in the internship).
One guy, which I had never met before, found that outrageous. He started a monologue:
"Yeah, but you know, you can complain of that because you were born with a silver spoon in your mouth, you f*cking capitalists. Me, I never had the right to not care about money. It's always there. I never even thought about doing an internship where you will do yours. This is why I had to work 15 years as a bartender. Where do you find the money to pay your rent? Huh? Where do you find it?"
I was paralyzed. I didn't know what to answer because I didn't expect to be attacked by someone I did not know...in my living room. I answered the truth, that I wasn't paying any rent at the moment because I was staying with a family member. That made him even angrier.
"Yeah, you got a silver spoon in your f*cking mouth, you have the luxury not to think about money, you never had to, you never will".
I started shaking. I stood up and told him to wait 2 minutes. Everyone saw I was angry. The atmosphere got tense.
I went to get my computer, came back and showed him a draft of blog post I had written. I wanted him to read the two sentences where I explain running out of money is my number one fear, way ahead of death and public speaking due to my money-tight childhood (why do you think I ended up on this forum lol).
Then he said "hey chill out, we're discussing, I am not attacking you or anything".
I was angry. I was really angry. I had let my guard down (I was in my own apartment for crying out loud) and had been attacked as a result. I walked straight into a trap that that idiot had laid for me.
It took me three hours to fall asleep that night, because I was angry at myself for having been abused so easily.
I figure that this type of abusive and passive-agressive behavior happens often where the stakes are high (politics, business).
What are the resources you guys use to deal with it? Physically I am short, 5,8, I am trying to build muscles so that I would commend a bit more respect, but otherwise, I am used to put out a mean face to instantly repel anyone that tries to mess with me (especially in the street since Brussels is a very dangerous city).
I didn't do it yesterday, and this is what I got.
Ordinarily, I am trying to be a nice guy, to help people, to give value. Some see it as weakness and try to abuse you.
How do you prevent it from happening?
PS: I talked with a friend today which was there last night, and she apologized for this guy's behavior, saying her boyfriend almost got into a fight with him last week.
I think you just need to learn some skills to deescalate things instead of getting triggered. Like how to deescalate without looking like he can do whatever he wants. “Well if I am rich and entitled then I won’t be sharing room with roommates and talking to people I don’t know right now. Respect your hustle for 15 years as a bartender. So how is the job... (topic diversion).” Basically you give a light jab of sarcasm at him and then end it with a praise to let him exit the stage with grace so that he wont get triggered and confrontational also. Policemen, diplomats and people who face media learn this skill on the job. Maintain civility but thinking “F*ck you you moron” and people who observe it can tell. Deescalate as much as possible until you cant. You look at the politicians they are getting people asking abusive questions to make them look bad everyday and they handle it well.
But there is also nothing wrong with how you handled. If someone comes to Your Place and tries to lecture and judge you without knowing what is going on, he deserves a lecture back. Since he started the topic, expect the debate with evidence.
It also seems that the guy gets triggered far more easily thinking everyone else owes him something just because he is not happy with life.
Dislike ads? Become a Fastlane member:
Subscribe today and surround yourself with winners and millionaire mentors, not those broke friends who only want to drink beer and play video games. :-)
Last edited:
Membership Required: Upgrade to Expose Nearly 1,000,000 Posts
Ready to Unleash the Millionaire Entrepreneur in You?
Become a member of the Fastlane Forum, the private community founded by best-selling author and multi-millionaire entrepreneur MJ DeMarco. Since 2007, MJ DeMarco has poured his heart and soul into the Fastlane Forum, helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time, win their financial freedom, and live their best life.
With more than 39,000 posts packed with insights, strategies, and advice, you’re not just a member—you’re stepping into MJ’s inner-circle, a place where you’ll never be left alone.
Become a member and gain immediate access to...
- Active Community: Ever join a community only to find it DEAD? Not at Fastlane! As you can see from our home page, life-changing content is posted dozens of times daily.
- Exclusive Insights: Direct access to MJ DeMarco’s daily contributions and wisdom.
- Powerful Networking Opportunities: Connect with a diverse group of successful entrepreneurs who can offer mentorship, collaboration, and opportunities.
- Proven Strategies: Learn from the best in the business, with actionable advice and strategies that can accelerate your success.
"You are the average of the five people you surround yourself with the most..."
Who are you surrounding yourself with? Surround yourself with millionaire success. Join Fastlane today!
Join Today