Bully in a China Shop

Bullying is crazy.  What's a bully?  What crosses the line between being mean to someone and being a bully?  I think it's all in perspective.

I was a taller, bigger kid, so not many of my classmates picked on me.  But I absolutely have memories of people bullying me, usually older boys.  Horrible shit, done by awful asshats.  That said, they were just kids too.  Probably struggling with broken homes, low I.Q. and uncontrollable erections.  Doesn't excuse it, but hey, I'm trying to be compassionate.

Generally I think I was in a good place, but like all things, it's all about perspective.  There are some people in my childhood/teen years that were just unbearable to be around and at a certain point, even Job would tell them to go scratch.  Does that make one a bully?  I don't know.  I do know that there are some things I look back on and wish I could take back or just wish it was handled differently.  That's what amend making is for I guess?

Life would be fantastic if there was a karma meter, like in a video game, as you make choices your meter slides up or down.  Others can clue into it and see how you rate too.  So if you first meet someone, they would be either real nice to you or treat you like a dick, because you have super bad karma.

I do think that once you're an adult, there's no excuse to allow someone to bully you.  The real world has SO many consequences now, that if someone does act in a boorish manner, you're responsible for yourself.  Call HR, call the cops, punch them in the face.  Or, best idea yet, walk away.  Let that person live in their frightening world of insignificant power trips.  It's when you're young and your world barely extends past the schoolyard, that bullying can be so terrifying, because it strips all illusion of control that you barely have as a kid.

MotD: The Benchwarmers

Rob Schneider, David Spade team up with Napoleon Dynamite to play baseball against children in this childhood bully revenge fantasy.  Yes, his name is Jon Heder, but he's Napoleon here, and don't say he's not.  I think the most surprising thing about this film is my lack of desire to punch Rob Schneider in the face.  He's pretty tolerable, if not terribly funny.  But he's the straight man here, so maybe that's why he's not inducing douche chills.  Don't get me wrong, this is a completely forgettable movie, but it's not offensive, it's just not much to speak of.