JJ here is still clinging to the fallacious notion that I feel under constant attack. That’s simply not true. But I imagine it’s in his interest to paint this as a general issue with me, rather than a specific issue regarding him, since doing that could help focus attention on me instead of him.
I have no problem with saying that I stand up to people who I think are being bullies. By “stand up” I include calling them out on their behavior - publicly denouncing them, if you will.
I think JJ is used to having his way with other people. All he has to do (typically) is berate someone for how stupid he’s been, and the other person will “see the light” pretty quickly. I don’t think he’s used to dealing with someone like me, but I could be wrong. However, I never said that - and I don’t believe - that all bullies are just “softies” who don’t deal with people who stand up to them. I’m sure that many bullies - maybe even most - become enraged at being stood up to, as that’s a direct challenge to their perceptions of powerfulness about themselves. JJ could very well fall into this category. That’s fine. He can “up the ante” all he wants. I don’t think it’ll do him any good with me.
On the other hand, I could say much the same about JJ with the last two sentences he writes above. You’ll note that JJ continues to respond to me and certainly continues posting long after any actual point of discussion has been lost. So at the very least, this is an example of the pot calling the kettle black.
I don’t believe for a minute that a bully will necessarily back down just because his target shows everyone that he’s not afraid. The bully might “up the ante” - in other words, he thinks his target’s bluffing and he’s decided to call his bluff. But what if his target isn’t bluffing? What if his target really isn’t afraid? What if the bully really can’t manipulate his target into submitting? Perhaps the bully will end up shifting the goalposts in a desperate attempt to maintain the perception that he’s superior or at least more powerful. For example, a relatively sophisticated bully might start using reverse psychology in an effort to give the impression that he really is in control of his target.
And here’s the reverse psychology. I think JJ could be trying to make others believe that he somehow has control over me. He doesn’t. I choose to respond. Whether I make that choice consistently in no way obviates the fact that it’s still a choice that I make. He’s not making me respond, although he might want people to believe otherwise at this point.
I maintain that JJ’s ultimate goal here is for me to shut up. He can mock my accusations of him all he wants to. It won’t make any difference. But it’s interesting to me that JJ, like many/most bullies, apparently feels entitled to bully others, and that therefore any challenge to his bullying is illegitimate. Oh well. I simply don’t restrict my challenging him to when he bullies me. He doesn’t have to like it, and it doesn’t matter to me whether he does.
Please note that, in my last post, I did commend JJ for the many links and videos he provides. I haven’t accused him of only ever engaging in bullying. I try to be accurate in my criticisms rather than engage in rhetorical strawman tactics. But no, I don’t appreciate him harshly berating (if not bullying) others, I don’t think it’s consistent with forum policy, I don’t think it should be allowed, and if the forum administration is going to turn a blind eye to this, then I’ll be happy to step in to the extent that I feel able.
I’d like people to evaluate my posts (as well as JJ’s) on their own merits.