My Son Knows Everything

If his wife backs him then she is reinforcing his opinion that he is an expert on everything under the sun so you probably have an uphill battle. I don't have any magic and tactful suggestions for your son but if you get a chance just Google the poem 'Ask My Husband Anything' by Pam Ayres. It may give you a wry smile.

Ooops. It's called 'They should have asked my husband'. Sorry!

Well he isn't an expert on good manners or respecting his mum!

Oh god, my daughter too. When she was younger, she was just a smart a**e. Now she is getting older, she acts as if it is because I am aging and not as well up on things. Despite my being a successful professional.

I don't engage with it now, or at least as much as I can avoid it. Refusing to get drawn in helps. Or it helps me, at least, which is the best I can do.

Trying to work a situation, so she thinks something I have suggested is her own opinion, works well, IF I can manage it, but I am often not patient or subtle enough to pull that off.

Ditto as Grandmabatty said.

I just smirk and say "yes, dear". After a while, it sinks in that they are not a walking encyclopaedia...
But seriously, I would comment on the bad manners of interrupting. If nothing else, "As I was saying before I was rudely interrupted..."

How irritating, I too know a superior being like this, don't we all? Sadly also lacking in self awareness, isn't that always the way?
I think the only thing you can do is treat it with humour and reply with, "How wonderful it must be to know it all," or "Who's a clever clogs then?" Then change the subject.

Next time he asks you something just say, quote " I have nothing to declare but my genius ", unquote.

I would be inclined to reduce contact. I would also pull him up on his rudeness. It's not much of a relationship if he can't at least show some manners. Possibly he continues like this because it's how he has always been?

Last time I was the victim of it, I said 'How woke.' It was a term that had been used by this individual before 'woke' became ironic, and it was interpreted, as intended, as my being sarcastic. Oh how I laughed.

How about a sarky 'Of course you are the expert' or similar comment. If he says anything, you can just say you were bowing to his superior knowledge.

My MIL would just say

“If you say so.” In a tone that totally closed the discussion down ?

Perhaps a response of “is that what you think?” . He can make what he wants of it.

Children tend to go through a phase like this, while at University with mine. Fortunately they grew up though it does surface from time to time. I try not to engage.

Here's the Pam Ayres link.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4oydSZTAns

It’s as annoying as DH giving wrong information then saying ‘no, I didn’t say that’

I think I would throw in a few, Really! Wow’s, You Think! I think he’d get the message eventually, I’m sorry but I’m not a fan of know all’s

Could you just say in a quiet voice 'Please dont be rude' and leave it at that. He will hopefully mature and realise there is a lot he doesnt know. Was it Mark Twain who said 'When I was 18 my Dad knew nothing, now I am 23 he has learnt quite a lot!' I have probably misquoted that but that was the gist. Good luck.

He sounds very rude.

Has he always been like this, or got worse since he married and became more independent?

Is he self taught? Or does he take after his super intelligent parents?

Just a ‘really’ with raised eyebrows, then a quick subject change or just walking away into another room, sounds easier than arguing, or just reduce the number of times he’s with you.
We have a family member who is occasionally like that when he is late taking his pills and he will argue that black is white, so I just stop talking and refuse to speak, but it’s very trying, without starting an all out row.

If I’m sure I’m right about something, I find that ‘I think if you check it out, you’ll find I’m right’ works quite well, especially if you can quote a source.
If it’s a matter of opinion, ‘Well of course you’re entitled to your opinion, but I’m entitled to mine too and I disagree’ is a useful riposte.

Another trick is to feign interest in what they’re actually saying and get them to explain at length what they actually think and why. Eventually you might be able to catch him out if he says something that is bullsh*t.

The important thing is to remain calmly assertive and not let him see that you’re upset.

Thanks for the link Crafty

CraftyGranny thank you for the link, I'd forgotten what a comic genius PamAyres is.

Sounds a bit Aspergery
Id let it go over my head and say ‘oh right, ok’ ....end of
I certainly wouldn’t let it upset me he’s the one with the problem just let it go way OVER your head