reckless intuitions of an epistemic hygienist ([info]gustavolacerda) wrote,
@ 2005-04-06 22:30:00
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Entry tags:social_dynamics

preventing arrogance?
Me - [fiddle solo]
J- Wow, that was great!
Me - Thanks.
J- And fiddle is such a hard instrument!

Freeze the scene.

In my paranoia about not being arrogant, I stop and wonder "what should I say?"

"- Yeah, you're right it is a hard instrument." (therefore I am good, therefore this is an arrogant remark)
or
"- Actually, playing fiddle's not that hard." (even more arrogant!)

My arrogance becomes thus unfalsifiable.


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[info]hermesbrain
2005-04-06 08:50 pm UTC (link)
what about "Instruments each require a different set of skills"? Still slightly arrogant, but a factual diversion, and a better response to entrapping subjective opinion?

Or the hyperbole approach "Yep. I kick some serious ass" (especially if offhand imprecise remarks like that are out of character for you) -- a self-referential attack on the principle of arrogance with ad absurdum illustration.

Probably there are better options.

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[info]drx
2005-04-06 09:03 pm UTC (link)
There's always:

The you're an idiot approach - "You don't know anything. I suck!"

The painful silence - "..."

The anti-arrogance - "I was fortunate enough to have a good teacher."

The ultimate arrogance - "Kneel and worship me!"

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[info]bondage_and_tea
2005-04-06 09:25 pm UTC (link)
You could make yourself arrogant in another field of expertise and explain how current theories of neural networks model the learning of skills such as fiddle playing :-)

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[info]krasnoludek
2005-04-06 09:45 pm UTC (link)
or, you could project your arrogance: "That's a very arrogant thing to say!"

Your opponent's confusion at such a remark should buy you enough time to run away.

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[info]altamira16
2005-04-06 10:19 pm UTC (link)
statement of fact - I have been playing X years.
slightly effacing humble comment - Anyone could do it with enough practice and a good instructor
humorous and forgiveable arrogance - Playing the fiddle is not that hard. Playing the fiddle in space! Now THAT is hard!

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[info]spoonless
2005-04-07 01:21 am UTC (link)
lol, I've definitely had that happen before. It can be awkward.

I've found that a simple "Thanks" is usually the least arrogant and most straightforward answer.

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[info]triple_entendre
2005-04-07 04:57 am UTC (link)
Agreed. You can also, as in the above situation, just repeat it until the other person says something that can be responded to. Or better yet, respond with a question of your own! It is our responsibility to redirect conversational flow sometimes.

Of course, if the scene described in this post were an animated cartoon line-drawing, the correct response would be to break the fiddle over their head!

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