How do you deal with friends criticizing/slagging off/bitching about other friends?

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Seriously fucks me off. I would really rather they didn't do it since it seems to me to put one in the position where you either have to agree, and thus sell out the friend who isn't there, or jump to defend them and potentially end up in a quarrel with the one that is.

Fine, so you don't get on. But keep those particular opinions to yourself yeah?

― Upt0eleven, Thursday, 19 June 2008 09:09 (seventeen years ago)

Take everything they're saying with an enormous pinch of salt and move the conversation on as quickly as possible.

― Matt DC, Thursday, 19 June 2008 09:10 (seventeen years ago)

Yeah, this is where a tight smile and a quick move to the bar/ loo come into their own.

― Anna, Thursday, 19 June 2008 09:53 (seventeen years ago)

Good advice. normally I tend to agree with them on particular salient points (if they're right) but argue that the individual(s) concerned should not be judged on those alone. i don't think that's the way to go.

― Upt0eleven, Thursday, 19 June 2008 10:13 (seventeen years ago)

I remember once a mate slagging off one of his mates to me, saying how shallow he was. I knew his mate a little bit (through him, in fact) and agreed, saying "oh yes, he's IMMENSELY shallow", and he got really angry and started saying "hang on, that's my MATE you're bitching about there!". I have never slagged off someone to one of their friends since.

― Zoe Espera, Thursday, 19 June 2008 10:14 (seventeen years ago)

(As far as I remember, anyway.)

― Zoe Espera, Thursday, 19 June 2008 10:15 (seventeen years ago)

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