| There's always a hierarchy in any social group. You seem to be at the very bottom. It's hard to gain ranking, but very easy to lose it. Their perception of you is so ingrained, that it'll take a lot of work for them to start respecting you. Being a male, the only way to gain rank is through accomplishments and achievements. Simply acting confident will do nothing; then you just appear to be someone who is all talk. You actually have to PROVE your self-worth.
You need to show them that you're not afraid of confrontation, and that there will be dire repercussions for messing with you. That's how men operate. Be careful only to limit your acts of aggression to times when it's justified; otherwise, they'll just think you're being a dick. When you do engage in the confrontation - you HAVE to win. Once you do, your status will immediately be raised. Don't interpret what I'm saying as: "Go out and beat some fools down." That's not what I'm saying, but you need to stick up for yourself. If they say something to put you down, don't be afraid to show your fangs. There are 3 possible outcomes:
1) The person will back down. You've elevated rank. Others will be more wary, and show more respect.
2) The person meets your challenge. Handle it however you can, but WIN the confrontation. Your rank will be elevated.
3) The person meets your challenge and you LOSE. Your rank gets lowered. Since you're already at the bottom (or close to it), what have you got to lose?
I've had several guys try to establish dominance on me (people I just met), and this has always worked for me. Most men will simply back down. In fact, they usually end up supplicating to me. Trust me: it works.
If you don't want to be aggressive, then you might want to start lifting weights. Men naturally respect a male who is physically strong. Even if he's not dominant, he won't ever be placed on the bottom. Nobody messes with a guy who can potentially beat their @$$.
If it were me, I'd just stop hanging out with them. If they're douches with low self-esteem, do you really need them in your life? I've had friends like that. Over time, they just poison your sense of self-worth. Go find some friends who are worth your time. When you find a new group, make sure not to come in at the bottom. If you find yourself at the bottom again, something you're doing is getting you de-ranked.
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