Tina Fey wrote in her memoir Bossypants that the first rule of improv (and arguably of life) is to agree and then add something. "Yes, and." The clapbacks in this thread operate on a different but related principle. They take whatever has just been said, accept its premise, and then extend it to a devastating conclusion.
In most cases, the person on the receiving end is left second-guessing their decision to start the conversation in the first place. It requires intelligence, timing, and a complete absence of the self-consciousness that usually gets in the way. The women in this thread had none of that self-consciousness, and it shows. Bravo!
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What all of this research, history, and psychology is really pointing at is something quite simple. Women have always been funny and sharp. They have always had the material, the timing, and the intelligence to deliver something that stops a room.
What has changed, incrementally and then all at once, is the willingness to actually use it. Women are using their material in public, on the record, fully aware that someone will post it online. The men in these stories walked into conversations expecting a certain response, and got none of that. These women are the heroes we need.
Have you ever dealt a devastating blow? Or maybe you were on the receiving end and are brave enough to share it with us? Head to the comments and tell us more!
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