When you do something it’s rubbish but when they do it it’s the best thing ever..

[SisterAgatha]

Do you know people like this? My IL’s are like it with everything.

I love Lush, they thought it was over priced smelly crap. Now they are all bathing in it and telling me about it like I never heard of it.

The farm we had annual passes to - total dump apparently. Rubbish, they’d never go there. Except they all checked in last week and posted some pictures saying how much they loved it.

The holiday location we picked. Why would you go there, it’s boring, it’s expensive. Followed by a trip there themselves the next year telling us how great it is.

Do you think it’s just anything that I like that automatically hate, or that they can’t let anyone else enjoy something, or that everything they do is the best? I can’t quite decide what flavour of arsehole they might be.

They spend a lot of effort copying you, don't they?

Actually I suppose they do, I hadn’t spotted that. I wonder if they just want me to try it out first, but why be so horrible about it to start with.

My husband does this, at the less extreme end.

If I suggest something it's met with a hmm... not convinced.

But if he comes up with the idea... it makes perfect sense!

My mum says I have to kind of hint the idea so he comes up with it himself but that's just too much like hard work.

They are like it with a lot of things like their neighbours car or decoration choices. But not with everyone so it makes me think it’s me. I don’t think I’ve ever heard them say “that’s nice.”

They sound like major asshats. I've definitely known people like that. But mostly at primary school. I assumed people would grow out of it? Obviously not!

I think, the advice would be to be flattered that they are copying you and realise that they are insecure and so have to denigrate you. But it's hard to take that line!

I used to be a little bit like this (not copying people though) with popular singers, films etc. If something or someone was the latest trend I wasn’t interested, even if people told me how good it was and point blank refused to be interested. Eventually I’d give in and realise they were right and start to become semi-obsessed with whatever it was, finding out all the facts and info and probably annoyed the same people by going on about it. Now I’m more inclined to give things a go in the first place and not just dismiss it because it’s popular and everyone else seems to like it.

It’s not even on trend things. They just like taking the joy out of something you like, I think.

My mum can be like it to a degree but she never changes her mind after. She hates a lot of things without trying them but won’t later decide she does like them after all.

I think that you have made them look twice at something they would not normaly consider ( perhaps they heard bad reviews of it ) but they don't want to admit it.

Next time I would say oohh I am glad you took my advice and went there / tried that

I work with a woman like this. I just ignore her now.