h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I have had the misfortune of encountering many bullies. Sometimes the bullying was directed towards me, other times it was the bullying of someone else that I've witnessed. It is my opinion that bullies are cowards and are not very happy with themselves. They seem to lash out at others and try to manipulate and control them since they can't seem to control themselves. I also believe that they are very insecure and in order to build themselves up, they have a need to drag others down.

Verbal/Emotional abuse is one of the cruelest tactics used by the bully. Physical abuse usually heals, whereas the other tends to linger and haunt. Those "ghosts" often sneak up on someone when they least expect it and they cut to the very core.

The scars from emotional bullying take a long time to fade - it's amazing how, years later, you can remember how you can still occasionally feel like what the bullies told you they were.

May I be the first to welcome you to h2g2, 176758?

I agree with both of you: it's a tough thing to recover from - but time does heal, I find. My main problem at the moment is that in reaction from the bully-inspired insecurity I'm now over-arrogant...