How to think of a cutting verbal response to any verbal attack?

Question

You know when someone says something unpleasant to you, and you're unable to come up with a good response, but much later you always think of things you should have said. Is there anyway to develop your skill so that you think of the cutting response at the time. I know some people who a brilliant at this (although they're not necessarily very nice people).

Answer 1

Some people are practised at put downs and smart comments but their intelligence very often does not stretch beyond this .If the remark is part of a conversation put them on the spot by asking them to develop it further -they will probably make a prat of themselves. and if you don't really like them just say "if your talking to me ---don't.

I hate smart arses unlike the rest of the world.  

Answer 2

Start with race, an obvious physical impairment, their gender, etc. Sometimes the simplest answer is right in front of your eyes!

Answer 3

The best "cutting response" is none at all. If you show the one who verbally attacked you that he or she is not even worth dignifying with a response, that will cut him/her to the quick, because people who do stuff like that are looking for attention, both yours and others'.

Answer 4

If you can't think of a response go with "Sorry" as if you didn't hear and when they repeat the thing they said word for word reply with "that's a bad stutter you have there"

Answer 5

You could brush up on some famous quotations but the chances are that the sort of person who made the remarks in the first place would be too thick to understand the reference. I have found that the most effective response is to say nothing but smile at them. There is a entire vocabulary of smiles which range from "You pitiful excuse for a human being" to" Go on , make my day i am going to enjoy this" to " I'm sorry i don't converse with obviously mentally retarded people of your disposition" so go on , practice your smiles as that will be far more effective than a smart comment. Alan

Answer 6

That's the problem. People who are good at cutting remarks all the time are seen as being mean. I think you're better off only having the occasional burst of wittiness, because those who are really good at it tend to over-use the talent.

Answer 7

I think a lot of it depends on your own personality. As the others have said, I don't think its a particularly endeering trait, and not something that you could "train" yourself to do!! I would suggest that you look at ways that you can build your confidence and assertivness so that you can handle such situations better, without having to resort to the cutting remarks which you refer to. Good luck x