Are DU'ers more likely than the general populace to have been victims of bullying?

[raccoon]

I suspect so. Mainly because most DU'ers think deeply, and people who think deeply tend to be the targets of bullies.

[supernova]

1. Was wondering that myself

I think we are more empathetic and thoughtful.

[Fumesucker]

2. And the converse question.. Are freepers more likely to be bullies than the general population?

I suspect so. Because freepers are shallow thinkers at best and shallow thinkers tend to be bullies.

[glinda]

3. I also suspect so. Part of it is that they may tend to not be as aggressive and appear

more calm. Perhaps they are more rational and respectful. In my lifetime, I have been bullied a few times and in every situation, I know for certainty that they bulliers were Republicans. Would think a good sized Grant could be obtained to research this further.

[Captain Hilts]

4. Perhaps. But a LOT of folks here think it's just PC nonsense, which surprised me.

There is a HUGE anti bullying campaign going on in Britain right now.

[redqueen]

5. Yes, that surprises me too.

I hope we can start a similar campaign here. It's long past time for it.

[Brickbat]

6. No. I do, however, think that they are more likely to recognize bullying for what it is.

[no_hypocrisy]

7. Hard to discern.

There's being bullied and then there's witnessing someone being bullied and sympathizing.

I doubt there are bullies or former bullies here.

[-wulf-]

8. Yeah

when I browse the boards here I can't help but notice all the deep thinking and and empathy. Too bad it gets buried in the shit-piles of "outrage."

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

11. "Too bad it gets buried in the shit-piles of "outrage." ... +1

What's with everything having to be an "outrage" or "unfuckingbelievable!!!!1!1"

If DU was a person, they'd be a paranoid schizophrenic.

[-wulf-]

13. I think

I'll spend the rest of my lunch break looking around other threads to see how much outrage I can spot.

[Robb]

9. Online communities in general, probably. nt

[Captain Hilts]

29. The Internet has greatly empowered bullies. There isn't a board w/o trolls. No matter the topic. nt

[opihimoimoi]

10. Much material available on web...google NPD , Serial Bullies, Abusers, TIM FEILD

Research indicates 1 in 30 is a serial Bully...they have many bad traits...

I suspect the GOP is over loaded with them...over balanced....everyone wants to be a BULLY it seems.

Watch how they conduct themselves in media interviews...they are mic hog Bullies...hogging the conversations......they just keep on talking ...on and on....BULLIES

Having no real "ammo"...they attempt at deception and Bully tactics...thats just a couple of signs.

Go figure...tis sad so many have gathered....to advocate guilt, hate, selfishness, and bigotry too.

[Solly Mack]

12. In school, I would go after the bully while they were preying on others.

That bit of stupidity carried over into adulthood and I've been in some less than desirable situations because of it. Course, you don't think about how bad it could go until afterward. You just see someone in need of some help. Which I guess means I wasn't thinking at all....much less deeply. LMAO

[seabeyond]

14. the two times there was a bully girl targeted on me, someone stepped in. so i never experienced

bullying.

maybe i could have handled. seems i have handle thru out life but those two times. maybe there would not have been two times if allowed to handle. glad i didnt have to handle girls that want to fight.... i am chhheeeeeekin. a real wuss. lol

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. Is there anybody who hasn't been the victim of bullying at some point?

[cherokeeprogressive]

24. A most interesting and appropriate question.

In elementary and jr. high school, I was one of the "big kids". It was me who ran the ball during pick-up football games.

Didn't stop me from being bullied.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

27. And there's a flip-side...

is there anybody who as a child did not, either singly or as the part of a group, get involved in the teasing of another child?

[cherokeeprogressive]

28. Guilty as charged.

And not the slightest bit proud of it. One part of me wants to say this is "part of growing up" and another part (the one who is protective of his gay daughter) says it sucked then, and sucks more now.

[arthritisR_US]

16. I don't have any data to answer that question other than anecdotal, as I sure was.

Grades 7-9 were hell but thankfully high school was healing :-)

[Mari333]

17. I had my ass kicked repeatedly by 9 girls in junior high

I had a goiter on my neck from graves disease, and I was also shy, so I was the perfect candidate.
nonetheless, I can now say i am glad it happened to me. the experience taught me a lot about being kicked, about being beaten, about what it was like to be afraid to even leave your house for fear you would be attacked.

I learned empathy from the experience.

all in all, had it not happened i probably would not have learned that.

[Subdivisions]

18. I had a bully harassing me one time. He was too cowardly to do anything

at school so he would catch me walking home. He was bigger than me and meaner, but I tried to take him on. When that didn't work, I stashed a baseball bat on my morning walk to school near the area he usually waited for me. Then, on the way home that day I picked up the bat. Sure enough, there he was, waiting for me. He laffed and laffed at me and my bat. And, when he came close to shove me, telling me I didn't have the guts to use it, I let him have it.

I found an opening and I swung that bat so fucking hard I could hear his femur snap, just above his knee. He went down screaming in pain and rolling around the ground. I threw the bat down at his face and told him next time it'll be a gun and his brains splattered in the hedges.

The next time I saw him, he was on crutches at school and sporting a cast on his leg. I won't get into how much trouble I got into for breaking his leg. But, I did take a great satisfaction in tripping him as he hobbled down the hallway at school. I won't get into how much trouble I got into for doing that either. I didn't care. Vengeance was mine.

[frazzled]

19. I was never bullied in real life ... but

I've been bullied plenty of times here.

That makes me think your theory is, perhaps, not correct. DU has its share of cyberbullies, for sure. Is it because they were bullied themselves?

[Dappleganger]

23. In agreement...

that there are plenty of cyberbullies in these forums.

[hlthe2b]

20. wow... now that is thought provoking...

Who knows... ?

[MineralMan]

21. I was bullied some in grammar school, but took my father's advice

and knocked one of the kids on his butt. No problems, thereafter. I did, later, however, step in a few times to stop bullying that was going on when I encountered it.

[Dappleganger]

22. Was bullied all through school by pretty much the same person.

She eventually was kicked out in high school (Catholic school).

Fast forward to last year, she found me on FB via some school friends and asked to friend me. Her message was "You probably hate me and I deserve it, please forgive me. I really have changed."

So I friended her (not because of feeling forgiving but out of curiousity, as I had not felt angry towards her in decades). Turns out she really has changed, offered a very sincere apology and took ownership for not just the bullying but instigating others to do it as well. She's a strong democrat so that was a big plus for her...if she had been a repuke I'm not sure if I would have kept her as a FB friend.

So, people can change if they want to. :)

[libodem]

25. I have a feeling

that at least we have not BEEN the bully. :-)

[Jennicut]

26. I was shy and very quiet throughtout my entire time in school and was bullied in high school

The "girl" was 20 and had stayed behind. I was 15. I guess I was easy prey but that incident made me a lot tougher....