Dissing 1793 Chinese style

Anjali and I were reading our history book and came to the chapter in which-

In 1793, George III of England, upset by a huge trade imbalance, sends his charming, famous ambassador George Macartney to Chi'en-lung, the Chinese emperor to negotiate a better trade agreement and to advertise by bringing samples of the many fabulous British goods for sale.  Unbeknownst to Macartney, Chi'en-lung didn't receive ambassadors, ever.  He received bearers of tribute as fit his supremacy.  Chi'en-lung finally deigned to see the ambassador, took all his goods without looking at them, read his message from King George, and penned this response:

"O King, you live beyond many seas.  However, driven by your humble wish to take part in the glorious benefits of our civilization, you have respectfully sent your messenger, bearing your tokens of good will.  This messenger has crossed the seas to pay me respects on my birthday.  And you have sent offerings of the goods of your country to show your devotion to me.  But we have no need of your goods.  Strange and costly objects like these do not interest me; we possess all things.  Our ways have nothing to do with yours.  Even if your messenger were competent enough to acquire some basic ways of ours, he could not then perform them in your barbarous country.  We cannot do the things that you ask."

Part of me smiles, wishing I had that kind of self-confidence.  "We possess all things."  Wow, that's some kind of imperviousness.  Another part of me cringes, remembering when I and my ideas have been dismissed without even a glance. 

In the way of real life, the British didn't take this lying down.  They did find one product from their holdings in India which the Chinese would buy- opium.  In fact, against their emperor's wishes, they would smuggle it in, become addicted to it, and make the English dealers wildly rich.  So do I admire their ingenuity and tenacity or lament their mean-spiritedness?

What about you?  Have you ever been dismissed like this?  How did you respond?