Reply #11: That's exactly what it does these days

[Occulus]

I grew up being raised by people who were always telling me I needed to show the respect other people didn't show. I was told I had to tolerate being teased and tormented, because if I ignored it it would eventually stop and by responding I was lowering myself to their level.

What happened? Well, for the first twenty years of my life everyone who wanted to was able to just walk all over me, because I didn't bother striking back at them or stopping them in the first place.

To the people who have the MODERN bully mentality, doing nothing, not striking back and just continuing to let it happen DOES embolden them. It DOES make you weak in their eyes. It INVITES further adverse treatment.

The only thing these people understand is to be given exactly what they give out. That's what they 'get', what they understand. They see kindness as foolishness and refusal to "stoop that low" as weakness.

It's a serious problem which can only be countered by being as crude and stern- to them- as they are to everyone else.