Dealing with Egos

[Dante Alghieri]

What do you do when you come across some psycho alpha male (or female) who does fencing and can't accept defeat ever and happens to be your friend?
What do you do when someone thinks they are talented beyond belief, and contary to all evidence, and you want to kill (or disillusion, if they've made duels completely illegal by then) him/her/it?

[The Fish]

This is a tricky problem indeed! Egotistical, skill-bereft sabre fencers are a subtype of human I have had too much experience with.

[ReverseLunge]

Well if she was hot I would try to get in bed with her. If you can do that then it doesn't matter how they fence anymore.

[The Fish]

Admirable sentiments indeed... but what about if they're a troll/male and you simply want to dispel their conceit?

[ReverseLunge]

Admirable sentiments indeed... but what about if they're a troll/male and you simply want to dispel their conceit?

The choice was male or female.

[Dante Alghieri]

You've missed the point slightly, I'm afraid.
I'm searching for advice on how to destroy the minds of my weak contemporaries, regardless of whether they're male or female. You sex maniac.

[Inquartata]

Tell them which circle of Hell you will put them in if they don't shape up.

[Dante Alghieri]

Tell them which circle of Hell you will put them in if they don't shape up.

Only the second, unfortunately trapped in the storms, never to touch or be touched again. So give some advice

[The Fish]

Only the second, unfortunately trapped in the storms, never to touch or be touched again. So give some advice

I think you should beat them repeatedly until their ego cools down and the lead drips from their face.

[Dante Alghieri]

More advice!
How is it possible to humiliate your opponent to the extent that they realise their own insignificance and their minds implode?

[The Fish]

More advice!
How is it possible to humiliate your opponent to the extent that they realise their own insignificance and their minds implode?

Constant victory! Beating them at their own weapon, which you've never picked up until then! Then challenging them to your weapon and not taking a hit!

[achilleus]

OK...

Here's how to deal with (fencing) egos when you're not in a position of power (manager, team captain, etc...)

Don't.

This person thinks the world revolves around them? That's their issue. This person can't stand losing? That's their problem. Your problem is letting it bug you. The more you focus on them, even if it's beating them into humiliation, your still giving them the feedback they want by making them the center of the universe.

You should focus on improving your own fencing, and let them pout, bluster, and scream. You should live your life, and let them live theirs.

[sabreur]

If you are good enough to beat them, then their egoism doesn't matter.

If you aren't good enough to beat them, then your egoism doesn't matter.

[Zilverzmurfen]

If you are good enough to beat them, then their egoism doesn't matter.

If you aren't good enough to beat them, then your egoism doesn't matter.

Indeed.

If that doesn't work you could always beat the crap out of them with your wet towel in the showers after the bouting...

[bigdawg2121]

What they said....if you're better than they are and really insist upon being that dude you can always go for calculated humiliation. Running up a string of 25-30 or so really disdainful and obviously-yours touches can kill an ego relatively quickly. Sometimes you have to rinse wash and repeat so to speak, but it's easier to just ignore them and fence.

[larkmaj]

What they said....if you're better than they are and really insist upon being that dude you can always go for calculated humiliation. Running up a string of 25-30 or so really disdainful and obviously-yours touches can kill an ego relatively quickly. Sometimes you have to rinse wash and repeat so to speak, but it's easier to just ignore them and fence.

Of course this is foil, so he can always claim that the touches "should" have been his. They'd have to be very obvious. This is why epee is the weapon for me.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

If you are good enough to beat them, then their egoism doesn't matter.

If you aren't good enough to beat them, then your egoism doesn't matter.

the only time that's not quite true is in a team situation--- especially on a college team.

If one person thinks that they're a LOT better than someone they're only aproximately equal to (or worse than), the resulting tantrum over team selection will probably affect team unity and may affect team performance. It can even be a problem when one team member has an inappropriate gauge of the skill of other team members.....




Have said person fence someone WILDLY better than them. And wait for them to grow up. Sadly, they probably won't. Unfortunatly, you can't do much about it.....

[Dante Alghieri]

I suppose these are all reasonable, but though I beat him repeatedly, he still believes he's a demi-god.
I am team captain, but he does sabre, and is so bad at foil that he can't even consider being on that team.
He's bad at sabre too though so you (all) are right, it shouldn't matter.
It's just that he contrives to irritate me constantly, regardless of his defeats. I'll try to ignore him.

[Dante Alghieri]

Constant victory! Beating them at their own weapon, which you've never picked up until then! Then challenging them to your weapon and not taking a hit!

I did, and he still thinks he's the best.

[The Fish]

I did, and he still thinks he's the best.

I'll help you out. Should we join the LTFC?