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

I think we should be mindful about how all of this is perceived, from both the victims' and perpetrators' points of view. One section that leapt out at me was this:

"...So in order to hide their deep-seated insecurity, they beat people up. As opposed to all the other insecure people you know, who are shy, and get bullied. Perhaps it would be more true to say that bullies were insecure, but now that they are respected and feared by everyone else, they are likely to be distinctly more secure than the average school-goer."

I would maintain, as someone who was bullied, beaten, and had his life threatened on many occasions, that this comment isn't altogether accurate. It brings out in me the very thing that this whole subject is clouded by: emotion!

Bullies are insecure. Either before, after, or during the process of being victimised over many years, I found myself in weaker moments becoming "a bit of a bully" myself. Was this because the conditions that caused the original bully to victimise me, were the very same? i.e. weakness, insecurity, loss?

There is is something inherent in the human condition that brings out the bully, so let's be careful before dishing out right and wrong stars.