I was bullied a lot as a kid because my mother was a JW and I had to go to that cult until I was 13 and was biblically free to choose my own path to Atheism, being bullied in hindsight was one of the few good things that came out of being forced to go to the Kingdom Hall. I realized early on that I would either learn to stand my ground or become the neighbourhood punching bag. I got in a lot of fights at school, protestants and catholics would set aside their differences to beat the crap out of the JW kid, I was even carried physically out of the school yard once so that 6 kids could kick the shit out of me off school property as that was taboo.
I gained 4 broken noses over the years and more bruises than I can count but I stood my ground and when I couldn't beat them physically I learned to beat them mentally in class and on the playground, humiliation is a powerful weapon and I was lucky to be smarter than the average bear. Eventually, I managed to get the worst of the bullies to leave me alone by making pacts with them to stop pummeling me with their fists if I stopped making them look like laughing stocks in the classroom, the others I managed to earn a grudging respect from. It was a long and painful road but I feel better for it than if I had followed my older brother's path; I was a fighter and he was a runner, in the end he ran back to the JW's which is a sad thing in itself.
So I dealt with bullies by fighting back even when there was no way for me to win the battle but I knew that if I stuck with it I would win the war. I think bullying made me a stronger person but I wouldn't wish that baptism by fire on my own kids.

It can be subtle. It can be silent. It's not always whispers, gossip, stares, and slander.

It can be no talking, no touching, no eye contact.

It can be your teammates never passing you the ball. For three years.

It can be an entire school avoiding you. No one volunteering to be your partner or have you in their group--ever, year after year. People going out of their way to not have to have contact with you.

It can happen in college. At the workplace. At the bar. Anywhere.

It can be done by anyone. Nice people. Normal people. "Good kids". "Upstanding citizens".

Nine out of ten are going to mimic their peers to safeguard their social standing. "Weird" people are highly likely to be ridiculed, ignored, avoided. Once that starts, nearly everyone else will follow suit. No one wants to be exposed. No one wants to lose face.

Think it wouldn't be you? You're probably wrong.

I got bullied a lot growing up. What I've never understood is, if you've ever BEEN bullied, why would you ever turn around and do it to anyone else? I've never wanted to bully anyone. I know how painful it can be to receive it.

Every day in the trump news. What does that mean?

Bullying to combat bullies only feeds the toxic cycle. We can't say bullying is wrong and then advocate bullying.

In middle school, when I was coming into myself, I was bullied so much that I started bullying them first. I was so sick of everyone that I started acting like a bad person. Eventually I stopped doing that, but I was still bullied profusely. I ended up dropping out of high school and going to the alternative learning center, because I hated my classmates so much I began thinking unspeakable things. Once I left I realized how much better life can be, and it was good for me. I wish I had dropped out much sooner and gone to the alternative school faster.

"Hit first, hit hard, hit often" --- Jack Reacher ---

Defined - Bullying is the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate or aggressively dominate others.

I argue my point - I hope that isn't taken as bullying.

I see most bullies as people who need to show off because they think they are inferior compared to most people.