Whoever dares you to do it never shows up to pay the fine with you.

Dares move the risk onto you and keep the entertainment for everybody else. The person pushing has nothing in the pot. They will not be the one in the office, or explaining it at home, or paying for it out of a job they need. Egging somebody on is free, which is exactly why it is so easy to do.

When you feel that push, ask one plain question out loud: who handles it if this goes wrong. Said slowly, in front of everyone, it takes the air out of most dares. If you want a line ready, it is that you are not paying for someone else’s story.