Bullying: Are We Too Quick To Play The Victim Card?

[the_great_she_elephant]

Last week Peter Dutton, the minister for immigration declared that he would not be bullied by the UN on border protection ; a few days ago Labor M.P. Gary Gray said he would not cave in to bullying by Union thugs over preselection;  and not a day goes by on FB and other social media without someone, somewhere  being accused of bullying. Has the word 'bully' become so overused as to be virtually meaningless?

I am not referring here to the concerted online abuse and innuendo that can drive vulnerable teenagers to suicide, or to cases where the online abuse spills over into real life (letters to employers, phone calls to government agencies etc.) I'm talking about the everyday  cut and thrust of online interaction where childish insults and even genuine but vigorous debate is sometimes labelled bullying by those on the receiving end.

  Are we all becoming just a tad too  precious about our perceived dignity? If, for example, you have a bird as your username or avatar and someone who has taken a dislike to you addresses you as “You great lump of avian excrement,” would you accuse that poster of  bullying , or would you simply shrug your shoulders  and conclude they were not very articulate and a few penny bangers short of a fireworks display.

As Bob would say: discuss.

[ecar3483]

Thanks for the "positive contribution encouragement".

[lloydslights]

A Cut and Thrust Parody? 

A  swashbuckling pirate with sword-flashing to show that it is sharp, boards a balsa raft with his villainous parrot and crew.

The unarmed tar finds himself  walking the plank and visualizes himself floundering with sharks circling.  

 A small armada of rafts arrives with sea-cadets, trying to save a fellow seafarer.  The sea rages, Balsa wood splinters, blood spills, one cadet thinks that this could be "the end"  and so dons an eyepatch and joins the marauders.  

Some are seen floating away to seek refuge at Katut's hideaway; others will be settled on the island resort known as  Davy Jones' Locker

Feeling total defeat imminent, their self respect having been pierced or sliced,   the remaining small contingency all limp onto a craft hoping the wavering tattered sails will let them achieve calm waters and friendly natives up the creek.    

They will recuperate and gain experience from this "adventure".  There may be a de-briefing. Yes, there is still fight left in the young sea dogs.  They will sail again.  

They just need a diplomatic Chief of Naval Operations.

DEB