Threat Management - Just Shut Up
You find yourself confronted by some kind of threat, one of the variety that walks upright. This may be a threat intending to rob or injure you, or it may be a stupid threat that just intends on causing you grief for whatever reason is within the threat's pointy little head. Virtually always, the threat will address you in some contemptible manner, expecting to get a sheep-like reaction from you. The threat talks, you respond. That's what is expected. You will say something to the threat as a response to what was said to you. This is how people interact, it is a conditioned action - or reaction in this situation.
Why? Not the why of the conditioned response, the why of needing to respond at all. There is no reason to follow any kind of conventionality in this case. Do not give the threat any validity by saying anything. Don't answer. There is no need to do so. By not acknowledging the threat, not giving the threat the expected action, it places you in charge of the confrontation. Sure, the threat will get belligerent. That is even better. You have disrupted the threat's expectation of the situation's outcome.
Wouldn't this escalate the situation? Are you not better off to reason with the bad guy, hoping to diffuse the situation? Yes, it may well escalate the situation. Fine. You are still in charge. Decide how far you will allow this escalation to reach and then do whatever you need to do to eliminate the threat. Attempting to reason with a threat is like that old saying about never try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig. The threat is less than a pig. Don't bother with reason. If the threat doesn't really know what to do with your non-responsiveness, then walk away if that is an option. If that can't be done, then you will need to take care of the problem.
Remember, at the moment the threat says something and you don't respond, in that instant the threat will be confused. So, if it is time for a gunfight, knife fight, lead sap to the arm or head, that instant is when to strike. In a situation that is not yet threatening but is merely annoying, then your continued lack of conversation can give you more opportunities to leave the situation entirely. It may also be possible that the threat will leave, since you have not given him or her any attention (and attention is usually what the idiots want anyway). If the threat does leave, expect to hear all kind of crap directed at you, since the threat now has to save face. Who cares? Just ignore it. Saying nothing is a valid and useful tactic when dealing with a person-caused problem. Please give it some consideration.
Why? Not the why of the conditioned response, the why of needing to respond at all. There is no reason to follow any kind of conventionality in this case. Do not give the threat any validity by saying anything. Don't answer. There is no need to do so. By not acknowledging the threat, not giving the threat the expected action, it places you in charge of the confrontation. Sure, the threat will get belligerent. That is even better. You have disrupted the threat's expectation of the situation's outcome.
Wouldn't this escalate the situation? Are you not better off to reason with the bad guy, hoping to diffuse the situation? Yes, it may well escalate the situation. Fine. You are still in charge. Decide how far you will allow this escalation to reach and then do whatever you need to do to eliminate the threat. Attempting to reason with a threat is like that old saying about never try to teach a pig to sing - it wastes your time and annoys the pig. The threat is less than a pig. Don't bother with reason. If the threat doesn't really know what to do with your non-responsiveness, then walk away if that is an option. If that can't be done, then you will need to take care of the problem.
Remember, at the moment the threat says something and you don't respond, in that instant the threat will be confused. So, if it is time for a gunfight, knife fight, lead sap to the arm or head, that instant is when to strike. In a situation that is not yet threatening but is merely annoying, then your continued lack of conversation can give you more opportunities to leave the situation entirely. It may also be possible that the threat will leave, since you have not given him or her any attention (and attention is usually what the idiots want anyway). If the threat does leave, expect to hear all kind of crap directed at you, since the threat now has to save face. Who cares? Just ignore it. Saying nothing is a valid and useful tactic when dealing with a person-caused problem. Please give it some consideration.
Comments