Guys like him want a rise out of you to show that they exist, and that they can still
affect other people. If you get mad, he has
affected you. So, don't get mad. Try this:
Acting as if you were a really supportive, person-centered shrink might drive him nuts:
"That's terrible! How does that make you feel, Uncle?"
"And then what happened?"
"I understand. That must have been hard for you."
"It's not about me. Tonight, it's about you."
"So, you drank a whole bottle of Aqua-Velva? Wow!"
- Active Listening
- Encouraging Body Language
- Good Tone
- Open Ended and Closed Questions
- Paraphrasing
- Summarizing
Hah! I feel so evil.
The
best outcome would be that you're so good at it, he really opens up. If not, you might just irritate him... but everyone else at the table would have a ball at his expense.
Your call!
By the way, I
have to emphasize: I am not a psychologist, nor do I have any clinical training. I am just Some Guy On The Internet and my advice has no therapeutic value. There.
Client Centered (Rogerian)