What'd You Do If An Elderly Relative Insults You?

Great to see so many responses. The typical case here is that the person who's insulting is -
  1. Unaware of the facts - which are verifiable.
  2. Interprets situations in a way no normal person would do.
  3. Judges others and forms opinion without really knowing the truth.
  4. Tries to look better by looking down on others.
I agree that it's complicated when it involves a relative, who you must tolerate for the rest of their lives. The problem is all about the 'bitterness' in relations that follow once you 'show them their level' even in the politest way. It's damn easy to move on by insulting a stranger; but if you know that you'll be facing them several times in your life; you surely want to avoid fake smiles.
The problem is that no matter what fix you use; the stakeholders aren't just you and him.
 
"What'd You Do If An Elderly Relative Insults You?"

The value of family is dying fast, some replies here are very disturbing to me, we're in the age of 'put them in a home' when our family members age, when we should be caring for our elders at home, we're all going to be old one day, then it will be us this sort of thing is discussed about. I guarantee that every one of us in this thread will hope for an understanding and supportive response from our 'should be' loving family.
 
ToDie4 said:
"What'd You Do If An Elderly Relative Insults You?"

The value of family is dying fast, some replies here are very disturbing to me, we're in the age of 'put them in a home' when our family members age.
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I think most of the disturbing answers were jokes...but generally by what I see around me in my everyday life and it's adventures agrees with you as an atmospheric change in family orientation.

ToDie4 said:
"What'd You Do If An Elderly Relative Insults You?" we should be caring for our elders at home
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Agreed..when and if it is monetarily possible yes by all means...but this should apply to any loved one young or old.

ToDie4 said:
"What'd You Do If An Elderly Relative Insults You?"we're all going to be old one day, then it will be us this sort of thing is discussed about. I guarantee that every one of us in this thread will hope for an understanding and supportive response from our 'should be' loving family.
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That is arguable but generally true, though not everyone is guaranteed a long life in which to grow old. At any rate, anyone that calls you family should be supportive to you as long as it is not to a fault and on the respect thing I share your sentiment...though I honestly think most here were joking when they made a few of those posts but I doubt they have low respect for the elderly....I mean some of the people cracking jokes are considerable as elderly to some of the younger folk at this forum :)
 
Part of me will always show some form of respect to elder people, and part of me is seriously all about "respect needs to be earned". I typically am the type who helps elderly by holding open a door, or standing up in the train if they need a seat, but I'll refuse to do so if they attempt to order me around.

Just because someone is older doesn't neccessarily mean they are wiser. That's like syaing someone who went to university is smarter than someone who only finished high school. Some do make it through there, but not neccessarily because they are clever. The same goes for some elder people.

I also don't have a strong connection with the majority of my family, so if they do choose to try and get in a cheap shot at me, they'd better be aware that I never signed the Convention on Cluster Munitions.
 
SchmitzIT said:
Just because someone is older doesn't neccessarily mean they are wiser.
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Or "always right", if I may add. I believe that that is something I learned quite late in life, always blaming myself silently for 'losing it' when the older folks would step on my tail. Now that I do realize it, and know by experience that it is 100% true, I feel it easier to choose between letting it go and "giving a piece of my mind" / "teaching them a lesson" / "putting them in their place".

The consequences of how any situation ends up is in one's own hands...a concept taught in martial arts. So why not try to be better, wiser, cooler and younger all at the same time. ;)

Of course, you never know...the elder actually can be envious of us. :D
 
That's one thing that always impresses me traveling in many Asian countries; when I get on a crowded bus or subway or train there is always a young person who will jump up to offer me their seat..............and beam with pride to their friend when I accept!
 
grant sarver said:
That's one thing that always impresses me traveling in many Asian countries; when I get on a crowded bus or subway or train there is always a young person who will jump up to offer me their seat..............and beam with pride to their friend when I accept!
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Unfortunately we are losing our moral culture as our cities expand and competition gets fiercer with every passing day. There was a time when if a lady would get up on a bus with an infant in her arms, people would get up immediately to offer a seat. Few days back when I was in a train and a lady got up with an infant and a bag having great difficulty in standing in the crowded train. I got up to offer her a seat and someone said, there's still time for your station. The general apathy was very disturbing.

Anyways, about the OP, I don't know your age, so pardon me if this is misplaced advice. My take is that, in life we should have our priorities sorted. We have people who mean the world to us, like our family, our parents, our best friends. Then there are things like home, work which are most important. So never lose your temper and disturb your relationship for people and things that matter. Talking, explaining your perspective, will more often than not solve the problem. Other people, and other matters are just background noise. I don't care for them enough for them to bother me with anything they may say or think. As a general rule, anger and insults hurts both the giver and the recipient in some form, so i prefer just walking away as much as I can.
 
My wife and I went to her grandmother's house for Thanksgiving one year. She looked at me when I went in and said, "Why Dave! You got fat!!"

What did I do? I laughed and went on my day.
 
Morgain said:
Adam it is not so easy when this is your mother who is in constant terrible pain with not very long to live.
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If you're close to a relative before the insult, then I agree, but if said relative has been that way since you've known them, I wouldn't really care if they were dying or in pain, personally.
 
AdamD said:
If you're close to a relative before the insult, then I agree, but if said relative has been that way since you've known them, I wouldn't really care if they were dying or in pain, personally.
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I really pray that you are joking. :(
 
Not really, I don't really have time for people who do nothing but put others down and I don't really care if that person is "related" or not.
 
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