The Perfect Gentleman Issue 8 - Halloween | Page 24

Dealing
with
Monsters

by Ruairidh Bulger
There is an old proverb, which is often
misattributed to Chuck Norris: 'Men are like
steel – when they loose their temper, they loose
their worth'.
This has never been more true, and a Perfect
Gentleman will never loose his temper.
Unfortunately, is not always true of those that
our Gentlemen will come into contact with, but
how does a Gentleman deal with those who are
behaving in an antisocial way?
People who behave like this generally do so
because they have found that by being rude or
aggressive will get them what they want. It is
often used as a negotiation tactic or a strategy,
and as such a strategy is needed to disarm and
respond to such tactics.
Firstly, it is important to understand what will
happen to you when someone displays these
types of behaviour.

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It is likely that your body will go into a
fight/flight response.
Your levels of epinephrine and adrenaline will
increase. Your heart rate and breathing rate will
increase. You might find that your hearing
reduces, and your mouth dries up. You could
flush or pale, or alternate between the two
extremes. With all these changes in your body, it
can be incredibly difficult to remain calm and
focused on the situation in front of you.
This flustering is exactly what the other person is
hoping for, as it will make it more likely that you
will say or do something that will give them an
opportunity to gain an advantage. You have to be
able to remain calm, and focused. Concentrate
on what the specific points that the other person
is making, try to get to the underlying cause of
their anger or frustration, and work towards a
solution. If appropriate apologise, and recognise
any harm that has been done to them.

Mannered Gentleman