Can You Believe it?

A slightly tongue in cheek post this week but with some sound psychological basis, courtesy of comedian Alex Edelman in his “Just For Us” comedy special (which I highly recommend).  

One of his bits was how to save yourself when someone asks you a question for which you know that person wants a direct and specific answer, but you have no idea what that answer is – and may be in fear of repercussions if you give the “wrong” response. That last part is unfortunately a real possibility in today’s upside-down world. Between politics, cancel culture (left & right), and various nutcases, it can be tough to know what the “correct” answer is to almost any question.

Mr. Edelman’s solution is to use the “4 words that can save you in this situation”. Those 4 words are “Can you believe it?” – said with the correct inflection of course. That got a huge laugh from the audience but as he elaborated and the power of that response sunk in, the reaction turned more toward nods of agreement. In keeping with the number 4, he explained how those words create 4 wins. For the questioner, you acknowledge the person, you appear to understand him/her, and that person gets to keep talking. Things we all seek from others. For the questionee(?), you are off the hook, and have time to absorb what the person was looking for as you listen to the response to your answer.

While he presented this tongue-in-cheek, as his stories continued, those 4 words played an important role. And they worked in all but 1 instance, illustrating that no matter how good something is there is no magic bullet to handle every situation. Still, those 4 words present a powerful way to hedge your bet when put into that uncomfortable situation.

      Comedy shows can be educational too!

PS. Have you filed your taxes? If you haven’t yet, you’ve only got a few hours left – can you believe it?

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com  04-15-2024