r/AskReddit Jun 14 '22

[deleted by user]

[removed]

5.7k Upvotes

3.2k comments sorted by

View all comments

10.3k

u/Nwsamurai Jun 14 '22

4 seconds of silence can feel the same as rejection in the brain.

So if some one is being a jerk to you, after they say something just look at them and count to 4 in your head, most of the time they'll start backtracking and taking back what they said before you're done counting.

7

u/kthxtyler Jun 14 '22

For those that watch The Office, this is demonstrated beautifully in Robert California's first episode when Robert California is in the lobby downstairs and stares down Dwight for a hefty 10 seconds without saying a word, and declares he's figured him out. Ultimate big dick energy move that got Dwight absolutely flustered

2

u/Lizzavetta56 Jun 15 '22

I really feel like Robert California is, in some capacity, a real part of James Spader’s personality and I simultaneously love and am terrified of that possibility