Those who are consumed by drama simply cannot conceive the existence of any perspective from which their drama is not central and massive and all-consuming. Thus, telling such a person that you aren’t interested in participating in their drama cannot possibly be either effective or memorable, no matter how carefully and powerfully you craft what you say.
The only hope is that by simply refusing to engage whenever they attempt to draw you in, their behavior will finally extinguish due to lack of reinforcement. Even further, if you actually try to convince them that their drama is not your drama, and tell them you don’t want to participate, that just enrages them and becomes yet another drama for them to embrace.
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Candid Engineer
September 8, 2010 at 8:37 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Let me be your heroine.
Namnezia
September 8, 2010 at 8:54 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
There’s always the I’m-so-sorry-you-feel-that-way-but-I-REALLY-got-to-go-now-because-otherwise-I-will-be-late-and-get-in-a-buttload-of-trouble-if-am. Then run out of the room, strategy.
skeptifem
September 9, 2010 at 1:04 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Why don’t you just adapt an off-putting demeanor? It has saved me a lot of trouble over the years.
engineering girl
September 9, 2010 at 8:17 am (UTC -7) Link to this comment
Yeah telling someone off for creating drama usually doesn’t work, because they enjoy the attention. Best defense is to just ignore and not give the wanted attention. It’s like when people are insecure and try and put others down to feel better about themselves, best defense is just to treat each insult like the pathetic, childish thing it is. If you tell them off for putting others down, they’ll just enjoy the attention and you’ll end up arguing with an idiot for several hours.
becca
September 10, 2010 at 8:21 pm (UTC -7) Link to this comment
ZOMG IT IS SO CHILDISH THAT YOU’D POST THIS ON UR BLOG AND NOT JUST ACTUALLY ENGAGE PPL DIRECTLY! THAT IS SO FUCKING HIGH SCHOOL!!!!11
Also, can we PLEASE talk about socioeconomic class discrimination for ONCE?