“You’ve got to love him – he’s your brother, after all.”
Yeah, he’s my brother who would get angry and destroy all my things when we were young, my brother who sexually abused my youngest sibling, my brother who launched into a homophobic rant against my mom during a time when she had cancer, a brother who cheated on and verbally and physically abused his first wife, a brother who probably drove my nephew to suicide.
Yeah I’d say that’s got to be triggering to hear. How do you respond to “advice” like that normally? Assuming it’s from someone who actually knows your brother.
I never have any response that’s likely to be edifying or helpful, so I typically respond with, “Well, I don’t,” and try to disengage. That’s usually enough.
“You’ve got to love him – he’s your brother, after all.”
Yeah, he’s my brother who would get angry and destroy all my things when we were young, my brother who sexually abused my youngest sibling, my brother who launched into a homophobic rant against my mom during a time when she had cancer, a brother who cheated on and verbally and physically abused his first wife, a brother who probably drove my nephew to suicide.
No, fuck him. I don’t love him, and I never will.
Yeah I’d say that’s got to be triggering to hear. How do you respond to “advice” like that normally? Assuming it’s from someone who actually knows your brother.
I never have any response that’s likely to be edifying or helpful, so I typically respond with, “Well, I don’t,” and try to disengage. That’s usually enough.
Sounds like a good strategy. Less is more.
Some conversations are just not worth having, and I need to pick my battles