"Precisely!"

 

When it comes to dignity statements (q.v.) there are many different sorts. I've given you instructions on all the variations; physical and verbal, direct and third party, even lift and telephone, see: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2024/04/lift-dignity-statements.html and: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2023/12/telephone-dignity-statements.html. What I'm about to describe to you is an anecdote from my HPing days, but also a dig-state of sorts. It's a social tactic for disarming somebody being passive aggressive and subtly antagonistic. As usual it was because of something somebody said while we were socializing. I can't remember the group of people I was with, but one of them was becoming irritated with my attitude. As I've said recently, I have met many people who consider my feelings of pride and dignity at being a HP a horrific crime. It makes them feel very insecure, see: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2026/10/second-handers.html. I don't remember this man very well except that he was similar to my friend's husband in Manchester whom I describe in that link directly above; middle class and fashionable, very keen on his image, educated and professional. At one point in the conversation the subject came up of trial periods for new employees. A lot of organizations do this. A person is recruited and then told they have not yet earned the right to a permanent job. This will only be offered to them if their performance reaches a high enough standard. (This is not to be confused with agency work, see: https://hpanwo-hpwa.blogspot.com/2024/09/infinity-agency.html.) I told him that I'm in favour of this for my own profession. I said: "You should have to prove you've got what it takes." The man sneered and did a ridiculous pose in which he hung ten and pelvic thrusted. He then pointed at me like a slightly effete version of the drill instructor in the film Full Metal Jacket and replied in a sing-song voice: "You should have to prove you've got what it takes to be a hospital porter..." Now, there are many ways I could have reacted to that kind of snide sarcasm. I could have told him to shut up, challenged him about his rudeness, become aggressive, been sarcastic back. Instead I responded in a normal voice with a normal facial expression without a moment's hesitation: "Precisely." I had ignored his tone; I had pretended not to notice. That completely deflated him. He looked at me blankly and went silent. My rejoinder had not gone unnoticed by the other people at the table. They all grinned mischievously at what I had done. This man never gave me any more aggravation. I have actually used this method on several other occasions and have done so for a long time. Even when I was a teenager at school a particularly nasty teacher pulled me up for walking into her classroom too early: "Oh, do come in!" she groaned. I answered: "Thank you." This tactic has so far never failed for me. Give it a try yourself!