Over the years, I have come up with this framework. I label three possible responses when I, the messenger, bring bad news or contradicts someone:
(a) the RATIONAL RESPONDER believes the messenger is trying to be helpful by sharing their information and may re-formulate their position.
(b) the PATRONIZING PARENT believes the messenger is an ass, patronizes the messenger, and dismisses everything they say.
(c) the DANGEROUS DELUSIONAL believes they are always right and the messenger is a threat who needs to be silenced.
With patronizing parent, I try to be calm and hopefully by sheer persistence they will come around one day and listen to reason. With dangerous delusional, I mostly try to limit the amount of damage they can do to me. I don't have any better ideas.
(a) the RATIONAL RESPONDER believes the messenger is trying to be helpful by sharing their information and may re-formulate their position.
(b) the PATRONIZING PARENT believes the messenger is an ass, patronizes the messenger, and dismisses everything they say.
(c) the DANGEROUS DELUSIONAL believes they are always right and the messenger is a threat who needs to be silenced.
With patronizing parent, I try to be calm and hopefully by sheer persistence they will come around one day and listen to reason. With dangerous delusional, I mostly try to limit the amount of damage they can do to me. I don't have any better ideas.