... inflicted upon them. They deserve to know that there are other ways to exist.
Ignoring them, just as engaging with them, can be interpreted as yet another kind of attack, and justify their view of the world.
Anyway... I'm not patient enough to deal well with this kind of person. My instinct is to cut through this bullshit to the heart of the matter, but that's not helpful. This is, after all, a defense mechanism and cutting through that is an attack of sorts, intent be damned.
This person, by the way, is somewhat made up in that it's a distillation of a bunch of people's hedgehog moments (roll into a ball, spikes out). But I've certainly known people who were predominantly that.
And no, I have no clear answer other than plenty of time, and sort of... living a different example next to them. Which I can't do with everybody.
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