Be honest. If someone says something to you that is condescending, even in an offhand kind of way, don't be afraid to stand up for yourself. Let the person know that you feel talked down to, and that the condescension was uncalled for. Being honest is crucial if you want to deal with the situation.
Although it's tempting to give the offender a piece of your mind, remaining calm is the best response. Flying off the handle only makes the other person believe that their behaviour is justified. Also, be careful not to reply to a condescending person with more condescension.
You could say “Did you hear what you just said!” and or follow up with, I would appreciate it if you would show me the same respect you would like to have. I wouldn't suggest giving a taste of his own medicine, as there are those that really just don't understand what they sound like.
So rather than take offense, assert yourself in “a calm, positive way,” she suggests. A simple “thank you for your help” will suffice, concurs Gregory Jantz, PhD, a renowned psychologist and book author. “If you answer in your own natural voice, with respect and good manners, you reset the tone,” he explains.
You can address bad office behavior by telling people when their actions are not OK with you. Calmly and professionally call out the patronizing person without making a scene or being dramatic by pointedly yet politely saying, “Gee, that comment sounded a bit condescending to me.
But, the term patronizing implies an air of infantilization in how someone treats you (i.e., someone sort of makes you feel like a child). Does condescending mean disrespectful? Yes, condescension is a form of disrespect as it is used to belittle another person.
As we have mentioned, a condescending person has a big ego. They think that they're better than everyone else and that they should be admired, so they'll refuse to acknowledge other people's achievements and try to downplay them. They think of themselves as smarter, more attractive or more successful than others.
Reasons Why People Are Condescending
Condescending behaviors often come from people who are insecure, controlling, and afraid to be vulnerable. A condescending person may not even realize that their behavior is problematic and hurtful. However, their actions and words speak very loudly.
Condescension is rude and patronizing. Treating someone with condescension is the opposite of treating them with respect. Condescension is full of arrogant and snooty attitude, and people who practice condescension treat others like inferior idiots. Sarcasm goes well with condescension if you're trying to be a jerk.
The act of condescending involves looking down on, talking down to, and generally putting someone down. In all cases, the message is: “You are less than I am; you are not enough.”
I have not looked down on them from afar, with a superior and condescending attitude. It is a condescending attitude that we have to shake ourselves out of. It is a condescending attitude to morality and shows that she has not caught up with the electronic environment.
Examples of condescending behavior include acting as if you know everything and are not open to new ideas, reacting to an upset with “well, that's never happened to me”, offering unsolicited advice (unless you are a supervisor), not being open to feedback, referring to people in the group in the third person (even if ...
Key takeaways. Patronizing is the act of appearing kind or helpful but internally feeling superior to others. This happens in multiple forms including interrupting people, making belittling comments and trying to minimize them by being condescending.
The Psychology Behind Condescending Behaviour
Often, the root of condescension is insecurity. Those who aren't confident in their abilities will look for opportunities to prove their superiority and take comfort in it.
It comes from the Late Latin condēscendere, which means “to stoop” and derives from the Latin dēscendere, “to descend.” Condescending always involves stooping or descending to the level of those considered inferior.
To be condescending is to interact with others in a way that implies that you're superior to them. It especially refers to when this is done in an arrogant or patronizing way—meaning when you act as if you're doing someone a favor by supposedly lowering yourself to their level of understanding or intelligence.
A condescending person can't understand their feelings or anyone else's. They are sometimes unaware of why they act the way they do or others' perceptions of their behavior.
The underhanded definition often applies to snide remarks or backhanded comments. It might be mocking or sarcastic to make it seem like it's a joke, but the intent is to be rude or hurtful. The person making the comment may be trying to put the recipient in their place or make them feel insignificant.
Condescending is a common dynamic in narcissistic relationships. This behavior can be traced back to the need desperate need narcissists feel to be above others.