# Did I do the right thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 19, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171 "2013-04-19T23:43:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aman27deep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aman27deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aman27deep)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/1 "2013-04-19T23:43:11Z")
I think I managed mine really well today. I was playing Table Tennis with my mate, and a ball from the other TT table came near our board, and trying some of my football skills I tried to juggle the ball and kick the TT ball back to the other guy. Try is a major word here. I failed big time, and stomped on the ball by mistake. People who’ve played TT will know, once you step on the ball it gets stomped and you can’t play with it anymore. I apologized to the guy, and offered another new ball which I had in my pocket. I handed him the ball, and within a second he threw that ball at my face. I was a bit mad, but I left it there. Resumed playing ping pong with my mate, and our ball flew to the other TT table. The guy on purpose jumped 2 feet in the air and stomped on the ball. Then he says “SORRY”. I got really really mad. But i left that guy there. Didn’t say anything, didn’t do anything. If I wanted to could’ve broken his bones there and then, but I controlled my anger really well. The only reason I left him was that he had a physical disadvantage against me, if I decided to best the shit outta him. I’m quite stocky. That guy was about 165cm and maybe 120lbs. Came home a proud and a bigger man. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/2 "2013-04-19T23:47:55Z")
Do you really need to ask if you did the right thing? ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/3 "2013-04-19T23:50:38Z")
Kept your temper? Cool. Right thing. A little worrying that you said that the “only reason” you didn’t clobber him was that he was smaller than you. Okay, that’s chivalrous… But nobody should clobber anybody. He was a jerk, but that doesn’t warrant a fight. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2013, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/4 "2013-04-19T23:54:50Z")
should have stomped his bones right there and then bro ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/5 "2013-04-20T00:09:29Z")
Shoulda laughed at him (heck, I laughed just reading your account), and then if he made a move on you, then go all Hulk on him. Or maybe not, little guy might be crazy. ---
**Author:** ![colander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e8c25b/32.png) [@colander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/colander)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/6 "2013-04-20T00:14:45Z")
i believe a similar incident in 1837 involving a loose croquet hoop, a mud puddle, and a contemptuous smirk led to the first recorded use of the now classic “piano wire garotte.” ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/7 "2013-04-20T00:17:48Z")
You ain’t seen nothin’ 'til you’ve witnessed **PING PONG PANDEMONIUM**. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/8 "2013-04-20T00:18:51Z")
Break something by mistake and replace it? Yes, that’s the right thing. Not lose your temper when somebody else was acting like a jerk? Again, the right thing. ---
**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/9 "2013-04-20T00:26:13Z")
Would you have fucked around with his ball like that if he was a 300 pound biker instead of a 120 pound that you thought you could beat up? Why did you fuck with his ping pong ball instead of just picking it up and giving it back? ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/10 "2013-04-20T00:47:36Z")
Accidents happen. You did what you felt was right after, he didn’t see it that way, and when he could, he put it in your face. You walked away. And guess what? You won. Were you right? Was he right? Are you venting? Doesn’t matter. You walked away, you won. ---
**Author:** ![R3d\_Anonymous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/aeb1de/32.png) [@R3d\_Anonymous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/R3d_Anonymous)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/11 "2013-04-20T01:00:11Z")
That guy was a dick. Anger issues. You even offered him another ball. As for whether you did the right thing, well obviously. You didn’t beat him up or start yelling at him. You did control your anger quite well. I am impressed. ---
**Author:** ![Chilliwack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@Chilliwack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chilliwack)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/12 "2013-04-20T03:11:54Z")
Let’s try a flowchart: Playing ping-pong: Were punches thrown? No - right thing. Yes - wrong thing. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/13 "2013-04-20T03:19:11Z")
> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Would you have fucked around with his ball like that if he was a 300 pound biker instead of a 120 pound that you thought you could beat up? > > Why did you fuck with his ping pong ball instead of just picking it up and giving it back? Right. The initial gesture could be taken as flippant and derisive. It sounds like you did the best you could _after_ that, but stomping his ball, even by accident, was the Wrong Thing that set the tone. As a general rule, don’t try to be cute or clever if you don’t _know_ you can pull it off. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/14 "2013-04-20T05:29:23Z")
> [@colander](#): > > i believe a similar incident in 1837 involving a loose croquet hoop, a mud puddle, and a contemptuous smirk led to the first recorded use of the now classic “piano wire garotte.” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/15 "2013-04-20T08:20:10Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > should have stomped his bones right there and then bro Either that or jumped his bones. Who could resist such a masculine display of dominance? ---
**Author:** ![Aman27deep](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ebca7d/32.png) [@Aman27deep](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aman27deep)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/16 "2013-04-20T08:29:10Z")
> [@Ambivalid](#): > > Do you really need to ask if you did the right thing? This is a forum of opinions. What’s the harm in asking? > [@Trinopus](#): > > Kept your temper? Cool. Right thing. > > A little worrying that you said that the “only reason” you didn’t clobber him was that he was smaller than you. Okay, that’s chivalrous… But nobody should clobber anybody. He was a jerk, but that doesn’t warrant a fight. I understand what you mean, you’re right. > [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > should have stomped his bones right there and then bro That’s what my mate said. > [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > Shoulda laughed at him (heck, I laughed just reading your account), and then if he made a move on you, then go all Hulk on him. > Or maybe not, little guy might be crazy. I was very disturbed by his reaction and subsequent reaction. > [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#): > > Would you have fucked around with his ball like that if he was a 300 pound biker instead of a 120 pound that you thought you could beat up? > > Why did you fuck with his ping pong ball instead of just picking it up and giving it back? I try to do that all the time, and 99 out of 100 times I can pull it off. I’m a decent football player. > [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Accidents happen. You did what you felt was right after, he didn’t see it that way, and when he could, he put it in your face. > > You walked away. And guess what? You won. > > Were you right? Was he right? Are you venting? Doesn’t matter. You walked away, you won. > [@Anonymous User](#): > > That guy was a dick. Anger issues. You even offered him another ball. > > As for whether you did the right thing, well obviously. You didn’t beat him up or start yelling at him. You did control your anger quite well. I am impressed. > [@Peremensoe](#): > > Right. The initial gesture could be taken as flippant and derisive. It sounds like you did the best you could _after_ that, but stomping his ball, even by accident, was the Wrong Thing that set the tone. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/17 "2013-04-20T13:47:59Z")
I’ll dissent from the popular opinion. You did the wrong thing by not calling him out for his behavior. Sure, you shouldn’t have gotten violent, but you should not have rewarded his behavior by doing nothing. If there are no consequences for bad behavior, people will continue with that behavior. It’s also quite likely this guy is going to pull something similar with someone who can’t control his anger. It would have been far better for you to have scolded him now than for him to be hurt later. I don’t think you are some horrible guy or anything, but with a choice between doing the right thing and doing a wrong thing, you did the latter. It was better than having beat him up, but worse than having let him know what he did was wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Ranger\_Jeff](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranger_jeff/32/2065_2.png) [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/18 "2013-04-20T16:33:09Z")
Just a contrarian view here, but IIRC, Bruce Lee wasn’t a big bruiser sort of fellow himself. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/19 "2013-04-20T17:28:32Z")
> [@Aman27deep](#): > > Came home a proud and a bigger man. IMO you forfeited any “bigger man” points you may have earned when you went online and bragged about how restrained you were despite being such a (theoretical) badass. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171/20 "2013-04-20T18:51:25Z")
I, for one, am disappointed that this didn’t escalate into a massive ping pong ball fight. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-do-the-right-thing/656171.md?page=2)