People who constantly brag

felice

Brits in Belgium,,,,, I have been ignored, patronised, spoken to in words of one syllable, and generally talked down to.
Why,, because I do not work in an office, in the EU or other organisations.
They are always bragging , where they have been, what they have bought etc.
It is mainly Women, some are trailing spouses and no better than anyone else.
I do not rise to them, including apologising for myself which I heard one lovely lady do one day, I was furious.
I tend to bring the conversation round to education, and ask which University they attended etc.
They tend to be a wee bit more polite when they hear my degrees and qualifications but not much.
Stopping now as I am getting wound up ,,,,aaarrrggghh.

Well Felice, when the EU collapses as seems to be happening those self satisfied women will end up with very red faces.

It’s what people do isn’t it? They tell others about things they have bought, things they do, and places they have been.
The ones that do it excessively are lacking in self esteem.
But If you have ‘ a word’ with this annoying person, it’s going to be difficult to go on.
I myself have been known to brag as I have more than one child who is a Doctor. ( there, I have done it again) I know damn well that I shouldn’t do it, but sometimes I get overcome as I am so proud of them.
Lots of people don’t ask you anything about yourself, but just go on about their lives. I just think, you either suck it up or avoid the ones who do it excessively and bore you.

We are having people here in a few minutes for lunch, and do they brag! I cant stand it to be honest, I have heard it all before it is so boring,I wish they would get a life or remember what they had told us before. I am too patient I dont comment, but am boiling inside.

FindingNemo15

Slightly different, but also annoying - people bragging about medical conditions. If I had an earache theirs would be worse, if I had two stitches they would have had six, etc. etc.

I try to avoid them at all costs.

Yes I know what you mean. And whenever they see a medical professional it isn't just any medical professional, it's always the 'top one in the country'!

I get irritated by people who define “worth“ by money and possessions! I value kindness and decency before stuff and dont really understand people who think boasting about stuff makes them better than others!

Funnily enough, I met a bragging woman I had never met on my morning dog walk.
She somehow brought the conversation round to a very wealthy but obnoxious farmer/landowner who lives in the village.
She was telling me how well she knew Jack and how she saw him counting his wads of money the other day, as her house overlooks his fields.
Most people intensely dislike this farmer, who has been prosecuted for animal cruelty and he is a boor.
She went on and on bragging about his new Rolls, the son and daughters cars etc.
I let her go on, then smiled and told her that Jack wasn’t very well liked and for all his money, you really can’t buy “class”, can you.
Smiled and walked off!

My neighbour once told me that she'd managed to get the quote for her bathroom refurbishment down from £32k to £10k and that the radiator alone cost £1k. This was 20 years ago .......... WHAT ! ....... the quote was for 8' x 6' bathroom - I couldn't help but burst out laughing there and then. ?

Reminds me of a woman I met (once, thank heavens, never to be seen again) at a funeral who kept on about the cruises she and DH had been on. I didn't bother mentioning that wild horses couldn't drag me onto a cruise ship!

I think “well, if they’ve gotta brag about it, they’ve never been used to it” . My late mother loved to brag how well her children had done and the big houses they had. Thirty years ago, I remember my sister had moved to a new detached house the same time as my brother moved to his new detached house. Me, I lived half way between the two in my little 20 year old semi. My mum’s sister was over in the UK from the States, and my mum couldn’t wait for her sister to visit my brother and sister, literally having to pass my door. It would seem my house wasn’t good enough to visit. I had to “rise above” it, but then my mum could be tactless and say and do things without thinking,

Although we all know people like that, they're not really doing any harm. Just gets a bit boring. I prefer that than people who gossip about their friends.

I have a friend who as a child had very little in the way of luxuries. As an adult she is now in a position where she has a large disposal income. When we were able to shop she would post pics on Facebook of the bags of shopping - invariably designer brands. She is currently renovating her home and garden and posts updates on Facebook of these. She is a lovely lady and I am delighted for her that she is able to treat herself to these little luxuries but I don’t understand why she feels the need to ‘boast’ about her life.

The trouble is, just talking about something can be perceived as bragging. If you buy a new car, or something for the house, or go on holiday, or if, like me, you are proud of your grandchildren and talk about them, I don't see this as bragging exactly. I call it talking about things that are of interest to you.
Most subjects can come under the umbrella of bragging. If you suffer from an illness or injury, it's natural enough to talk about it.
What subjects can people talk about which are not perceived as bragging?
Most people, whether they admit it or not, are mainly interested in themselves and their loved ones. It's polite to listen to other people talk about their own lives, but how many of us can truly say we are really interested in what others tell us? We may be momentarily interested or concerned, and have a reciprocal conversation, but deep down, we are concerned about our own affairs.

I am reminded of a sying that is floating around at the moment "in a world where you can be anything, be kind"

Oh this reminds me so much of my auntie who lived in Blackpool. We'd go up and stay for a week every summer and as soon as we got there she'd steer my mum on a house tour and show off what she'd bought since we were last there. It would be anything from a new bedroom suite to (yet another) mink jacket. I did love her and my mum and I used to laugh about it.

Some long-term neighbours of ours are definitely (self)-defined by possessions, or maybe I should say that their self-esteem is bound up with e.g. what cars are on the drive. And one of them (the wife, I’m afraid to say) most certainly judges other people’s worth solely by what car and other possessions they have.

She has passed this attitude on to at least one of their children, who has been royally screwed up by it.

I know a couple or so people who brag about how good they are at things such as baking, sewing, knitting and their so called many friends, how good they are. I just listen and take it with a pinch of salt. I have in total of about 5 really good friends and I’m quite happy with that. I’m not always in touch with them constantly but I know they are at the other end of the phone if I need them and vise versa. One of the people I know who brags about how brilliant her friends are and the amount she knows is my sons future MIL. My son said at Easter because her friends had dropped so many Easter eggs off for the grandchildren, it’s a good job My mum doesn’t know that many or else the children would be eating chocolate until next Easter which I thought was really funny.

There’s nothing wrong with just saying “ can we please not talk about possessions today” as soon as she starts ! Or can you not just walk off saying you have not time today ? I have a very elderly Mum who’s constantly criticising everyone, and I just flatly refuse to listen to constant negativity. I change the subject and if that doesn’t work I just tell her straight, politely of course.

I find your comments interesting felice.
When we lived in the Netherlands we came back to UK for a visit. At a party I was asked what car I drove (I rode a bike), which school my children went to (the one on the corner) and what job I did to pay for all these luxuries (I stayed at home)!

After that conversation they had nothing left to talk to me about!

I do wonder about what is ‘going on’ with some people and ponder whether, sadly, mental health issues might sometimes be involved There is a person in my life who buys the top range of everything. I was with her once when she spent £215.00 online on a single pillow. And later bought a second! She is constantly a victim and doesn’t seem to be able to cope with things that most people would just shrug off. Maybe it all acts as some sort of psychological balm. All she seems to be able to talk about is herself, her dog and how much things cost.

I would say - good for you, I don’t need the clutter!

People who brag about how good they are at doing things used to annoy me.But perhaps lockdown has made me change my way of thinking.We just have to be ourselves,I like to quietly get on with things,and I can be a good listener too.When I was at work,I was a better worker than some of those who kept on about how wonderful they were.

I know someone like this. She actually stopped doing it as I think I must have given out a silent but clear message I wasn't impressed (??) but as someone said earlier, she had loads of really heavy unhappiness going on she is actually really lovely

At least the bragging about the cruises has stopped!

Bragging or boasting always strikes me as suggesting an inner feeling of not being or having enough - its a painful place to be, though one I think isn't too uncommon. Different people deal with a feeling of 'not enough' in different ways. You can choose of course, either to listen and become a closer friend, who she might end up feeling ok with and no need to boast to, or be courteous but not choose to be with her much in future.

My neighbour is like this too. We both also have people in RAF and she is obsessed with rank. I am not interested in rank or how much she spends, it’s difficult but try to let it go over your head or say something about the lack of need to consume, especially since lockdown