Episode 104: Why Rude Behavior Gets Us So Riled Up

Rudeness is contagious, in a similar way to a virus. When experiencing a rude encounter, our brain perceives it like a threat. And once we’ve tuned in to this low-level threat, we’re more likely to notice it around us, and are therefore more likely to display rude behavior ourselves.

Today we’re talking about rudeness and its impact on our wellness. We’ll walk you through what rude behavior actually is, what our evolutionary response to it is, and how we can take steps to mitigate its negative effects.

By the end of today’s episode you’ll be armed with 7 tools to be less impacted by micro-aggressions when you encounter them, break the rudeness cycle, and start spreading kindness in your world.

Rudeness is a low-intensity display of disrespect or incivility. It’s often ambiguous & malice isn’t necessarily intended. Our brains interpret rudeness as a form of micro-aggression and react accordingly. When someone acts with aggression it’s typically a response behavior, but rudeness sometimes comes out of nowhere, so it’s disconnected from our usual explanation of where negative behaviors come from. Rudeness is bad for our health & well-being. 

** Bonus tool: Smile.

A smile can go a long way to counteracting rudeness. Remind yourself that even the kindest people have hard days, instead of internalizing it or taking it personally. To help dismiss random rude behavior you encounter or witness, assume the person is particularly rushed, stressed, tired, hungry, or whatever is going on for that person that has nothing to do with you.

Listen now to learn how to protect yourself from rude behavior.

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