A horse and an owl

I have had my experience with narcissists but never have I been so frustrated with someone who is this narrow and closed minded.

I found this article from Forbes and it is interesting to see that the author Steve Berglas, has grouped them under the following animals:

1. Gorilla
"A narcissist. He won’t tell you he cannot handle the truth but, rather, will simply start beating his chest, growling, and snarling in ways designed to intimidate and then some."

2. Fox
"A form of denial that trumps the truth far better than ostrich-like hiding from it is flat-out rejection of it predicated on nothing more than personal preference. You see it all the time as “sour grapes” or, “I don’t need to hear that crap… that’s not where I live…”"

3. Horse
"There is no doubt that trying to manage someone who mounts intense resistances to facts calls to mind someone who is as “stubborn as a mule” or acts like a horse that has been led to water but refuses to drink. These equines are everywhere, bizarrely gaining more psychic satisfaction from power struggles with executives than from meeting or exceeding expectations and reaping traditional rewards."

4. Owl
"A tried-and-true technique for mounting resistances to the truth is debunking it with your own data. Folks who do this suffer hubris that’s manifest intellectually: They flaunt a self-awarded sense of wisdom and omniscience that they use to grind-down anyone who wants to show them the light. Of course, as nocturnal hunters, owls won’t tolerate that, and they hoot with laughter when you try to convince them that they are avoidant and evasive."

5. Skunk
"Often when attempting to confront insecure people with the truth, they spray you with a stink that is as, if not more potent, than the one expelled by a skunk."

The person I was dealing with, he came off as both a horse and an owl.

With the horse, Berglas said, "If you fight these neigh-saying critters [forgive me] head-on, you cannot win. Your only hope of stimulating the desired cognizance of what is right and proper is to admit defeat and abandon them," and that was exactly what I wanted to do but should I not show some brotherly love.

And with the owl, Berglas said, "Every owl I have worked for was vastly more intelligent than they seemed to be when haughtily refuting facts, and I knew that from the lofty perches they put themselves on I, a mere pedestrian, would never be able to help them. Which is why the only way I was able to help owls was to admit defeat and call upon an external advisor—a senior “owl” from their field—capable of having a birds of a feather heart to heart discussion with them," and that was also exactly what I thought I would do!

Is there no hope?

However, having said all that, I shall now have a disclaimer that in no circumstance will I not say that I am not like any of the above animals. I am after all part of the fallen human race who needs the saving grace of the Lord Jesus Christ. Only he saves us from our depraved nature.

pearlie