Certainly not. Presidential Candidate Bush said just a minute ago it was because of “children having their hearts darkened by the internet.”
You did what??? Are you positive you meant to miss?
You know, I was just comtemplating what makes bullies like that, because I’m dealing with people in the pit who like to rag posters for anything.
If I knew how to deal with them, life would be simpler.
At least we all know what drives them now.
As for bullies in the pit, I try to avoid the pit. But make sure it’s bullying rather than them actually being right. Whoever has the facts on their side will ultimately win.
I think this post sheds some more light on the subject:
So this bully takes no responsibility for his own feelings or actions. The “smart kids” are responsible! He also likes beating up people.
But save yourself the trouble of reading Xenocide and Children of the Mind…ugh…horrible. Ender’s Shadow was great though.
I had my fair share of bullies too…But one of my glory moments was the day one of them spit on me and I just said I wouldn’t take it anymore, so I confronted him…and his 20 friends… I had a wall of football and soccer flesh from one side of the hall to the other saying they were going to get me, hurt me, etc…funniest thing was that as they were saying this, they were all walking backwards away from me! I stood my ground and didn’t flinch, they just kept walking away. Weirdest thing. Nothing much happened after that.
I do have to admit that I have my fair share of ‘revenge’ day-dreams now that I’m 30 pounds heavier and a Thai kickboxer 
In fact, I’m going back to near my home town to help a friend at his shop…y’never know who might rock up…hhhmmmmm…Unfortunately (fortunately?), I’m not a violent guy, so even if I do see an old ‘friend’ I doubt I’d do anything. But I can dream! 
For those of you with kids having these problems, I HIGHLY recommend non-traditional martial arts. Your kids are probably nice, sane, respectful people that are going to face these issues over and over until college or beyond. They probably don’t need to be taught how to control themselves or avoid situations, they’ve been trying for awhile already. Boxing, Thai boxing, Ju-jitsu, JKD, Ultimate and others quickly get people trained to take care of themselves when it comes to a real fight. I don’t think normal martial arts are good enough for this- they are ‘self-defense’ and the attitude is all wrong. If I feel threatened, I WILL hit first, hard, and then hit again, just to be sure. There is very little one can do to defend themselves from more than one person, but lay the big guy out quickly and his friends will think twice. And I have never in my life ever seen a bully alone. Just my $0.02.
Take care-
-T
I went through my early school years taking crap from a number of bullies. Being the smallest meant that I was a favourite target for the guys with the massive inferiority complexes or plain old mean streaks. It wasn’t that I wasn’t tough, I just wasn’t much of a fighter.
I had my epiphany in junior high when I got jumped by a couple of jocks. It was the proverbial back breaking straw.
I had always fought with my bigger and much tougher older brother and he often asked why I just didn’t beat the crap out of these morons. He said I was tough enough and if I could hurt him I shouldn’t have a problem with anyone my age. It was a big confidence boost.
He was right. It was great to have the bullies run from me for a change and the bullying pretty well ended there.
I started studying martial arts when I was 14 and when I entered high school this inspired a few guys to see if I had learned anything… a few even started coming to my class after I passed on some of my acquired “wisdom” that usually came in the form of my foot upside their head.
I’m really a pacifist and avoid confrontation as much as possible. It’s only after peaceful negotiations have failed that I would consider striking someone else. I still train in the event negotiations break down. Being a pacifist doesn’t mean you have to take beatings from anyone.
I had a real problem when I was very young with my sister being a total bully to me. Every chance she got she would torment me, hit me repeatedly, tease me, and generally push me around. I know that siblings can be siblings, but this was way over the top.
Finally one day (I know I will never forget it) we were doing laundry and she started in on me. I went totally postal and beat her up with a hanger (A la Mommy Dearest). I remember that it felt GREAT to finally stop taking beatings and dish one out. I remember her badgering me after that, but never hitting me again.
She did it because she was (and is) a selfish, insecure, psycho. She got off on teasing me and watching me cry after hitting me. Bullies do it because they feel powerful, and the bullied take it because they feel powerless. It’s a vicious cycle.
Zette
I have. I wasn’t particularly strong for my age, and I’d also skipped a grade. One was usually more than enough.
There is only one known cure for bullying.
Open up a Can O’ Whupass on them.
But I think you’ve already figured that out.