Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Demon Bragatron

There is the opposite of the Demon Negatron. Let's call this the Demon Bragatron. This skater's skills are always learned faster or done better than anyone else's. And not only that, they really, really have to share that with everyone. Usually in a really loud voice.

To a large group of people.

They don't know particularly well.

I had the experience of coming into contact with a Demon Bragatron a couple of years ago. This skater would go off and skate with 'famous former Olympian' and come back with tales of "Coach X said my Y was so wonderful, it  was elite level."  This would be announced in a loud voice to an entire dressing room full of women.

So what were the listeners thinking?

Sarcasm Clap

The Yeah Whatever Shrug

The False Congratulations Smile
So far as I know, no one was thinking this:

The only person impressed by the braggart's boasts, is the braggart.

5 comments:

  1. We definitely have one of these skaters at my rink. This person is always talking about themselves and how they've successfully "mastered" X, Y or Z element. It's so annoying. The best part is that no coach or skater has actually seen this person do X, Y or Z correctly (especially in a competition), so the skater is full of hot air. Regardless, it stinks to have such an arrogant person around.

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  2. Tee hee.....I'm laughing heartily at the expense of someone who shall remain nameless.

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  3. There's a skater like that at my rink as well. Granted, she has progressed a LOT in the last year and will most likely continue to, but when she masters an element she has to tell EVERYONE. And I mean EVERYONE. She landed one axel recently and then started telling everyone that she has her axel. Next time she was on the ice, it was gone.

    She will learn, but she also has to learn the art of being humble.

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  4. Im not see anything bad if person did some element and so happy about this that want tell everyone. Of course this element cant be so great next time. But we always so critical about themselves - lets enjoy at least something what happened good.
    Because mostly people saying about themselves only bad things, how nothing good happened at training. But it was something good, at least some steps )
    Maybe I never met so annoying persons like you, I think its really great to communicate with other adults and be happy that they can do something good, see some progress...that's my opinion :)

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    Replies
    1. The kind of talk I was talking about wasn't simple pride about learning something new; it's about bragging, or boasting. These boasts are excessively self-centered, and out of proportion to the skill development.
      Eva's story (above) is a fine example I've seen in another skater; the skater brags about 'mastering' a skill, but it's never witnessed. That's bragadocio and the product of Demon Bragatron.

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