15 January 2008: Breaking Point

[MandoAndy]

All this talk about bullies reminds me of a story my mom told me about her days in school.

When she was a young teenager, she got beat up by a gang of girls who were all bullies at her school -- but she fought back, and won the fight.

The next day, the leader of that gang brought a gun and a knife to school and was caught saying "I'm gonna kill that little b**** today" and was henceforth expelled from the school.

The sad thing is that, in my experience, no matter how justified the retaliation is, it only leads to more conflict. Violence creates more violence, which creates more violence.

[Simba Cub]

All this talk about bullies reminds me of a story my mom told me about her days in school.

When she was a young teenager, she got beat up by a gang of girls who were all bullies at her school -- but she fought back, and won the fight.

The next day, the leader of that gang brought a gun and a knife to school and was caught saying "I'm gonna kill that little b**** today" and was henceforth expelled from the school.

The sad thing is that, in my experience, no matter how justified the retaliation is, it only leads to more conflict. Violence creates more violence, which creates more violence.

I totally agree. It's sad, but it's reality.



Rich::

[Rocketman]

The sad thing is that, in my experience, no matter how justified the retaliation is, it only leads to more conflict. Violence creates more violence, which creates more violence.

As if doing nothing prevents violence.

[datherman]

It's a double-edged sword. Sometimes violence is the only remaining option, yet at the same time often it only makes the tension worse.

I guess the one thing we can agree upon is that each situation is different. What may work for someone in one instance may be the complete wrong answer for someone else.

[Gecko]

This comic has gotten the lurkers to join the forum like no other. It's also causing massive desire to make a personal connection.

'Tis EPIC topic.

*waits for post count to break 9,000*

[Tarukai]

I noticed that as well Gecko, but it's not surprising, as the topic of bullying and such is a powerful topic that many have endured and taken to heart, so they have stories to share.

[Hanging Tree]

Unless the bully got physical with you, you have no real justification to resorting to violence.

Unless you've been on the receiving end, you have no business talking about what's a justified response. If someone (or more likely, several someones) goes out of their way to degrade and humiliate you for months on end, sooner or later you WILL be pushed to the point where you'll lash out at the next person who pushes a button. At least if you were born on Earth.

Two simple facts hold true for both humans and animals:

1. Provoke them only if you're prepared to fend off an attack.

2. The bear decides the meaning of "provoke".

I don't know much about you as of yet, Hanging Tree, but every post I've seen from you on this thread so far boils down to three words: "Blame the victim". Do try to take into account that it takes far more than an act of will to fit in and not be a target.

Like most people I have been bullied before, but I am also in a position of being an authority figure as well. I work for a group home for juvenile delinquints. We have kids that were bullies and those who were bullied. We do our best to keep the peace, but people pick on each other and often its a two way street. The point I'm getting to is that we expect these kids to never get physical with each other. If kids with a violent past can keep from hitting somebody who is getting into their face and saying they hope their grandpa dies from cancer then I think a balanced person should be able to take the barbs of their peers.

[Kyler Thatch]

You know what this thread reminds me of? Ender versus Stilson, in the beginning part of "Ender's Game". You know, the one where Stilson always picks on Ender, who initially ignores all the bullying, until he suddenly fights back? And then ends up killing Stilson to make the other bullies too scared to bother him ever again...

Make of this what you will.

[Bocaj Claw]

That Ender was a dangerous psychopath only allowed marginal freedom because his psychosis was needed to protect the Earth from a nonexistant threat and so that the human race could steal colony worlds from another race by almost genociding them out of existence?

[Cosmic^Chicory]

That Ender was a dangerous psychopath only allowed marginal freedom because his psychosis was needed to protect the Earth from a nonexistant threat and so that the human race could steal colony worlds from another race by almost genociding them out of existence?

Well, that, and, he never was bullied again, was he?

Neither were the Colombine kids.

[Bocaj Claw]

Actually, he was bullied again. By Bonzo Madrid. Who he also killed.

[Muninn]

It's just that base emotions, even from Millie, are so unexpected from the comic that most of us were pushed to feeling for an imaginary character. But that also means there's some good writing on David's part and perhaps some bonding on the viewer's.

Seeing Millie cry was the focus of this strip for me, not her lashing out at Jeremy.

[osprey]

Jeremy got PWNED. Flat out. No questions asked. PWNED!

[Tom Flapwell]

Unless you've been on the receiving end, you have no business talking about what's a justified response.

Wrong. You may have no business saying what response isn't hard to avoid, but principles and circumstantial info are all you need to determine justification.

If someone (or more likely, several someones) goes out of their way to degrade and humiliate you for months on end, sooner or later you WILL be pushed to the point where you'll lash out at the next person who pushes a button. At least if you were born on Earth.

I know that Ozy is unusually peaceful, but he is not impossible. Your words remind me that people tend to have serious trouble imagining someone more virtuous than themselves.

Actually, he was bullied again. By Bonzo Madrid. Who he also killed.

Also Bernard, whom he merely maimed, and partly by accident. They later got on peaceable terms.

[caffeinefox]

bout time someone stood up to his bullyings, however as far as him having a crush on Millie maybe a tad much. I see it as he will either respect Millie more as an individual perhaps as a friend, or the fact that Jeremy will be teased cause he was whooped by a girl will cause him to want to do worse to her and Ozy. IT did tug on my heart strings seeing her crying though, just makes you wanna give her a hug I think everyones been bullied at one time or another, I know I have and I made two childhood friends out of it when I fought back. BTW, the look on Jeremy in the next panel was priceless, hes like "What just happened didn't really just happened... Did it?"