Bullying Quotes

“Most bullies have themselves been bullied, and they despise kids who remind them of their own vulnerability.”
Bessel van der Kolk, The Body Keeps The Score (Page 357)

“Bullies are all the same; whether they are in the school yard, in the workplace, or ruling a country through terror. They thrive on fear and intimidation. Bullies gain their strength through the timid and faint of heart. They are like sharks that sense fear in the water. They will circle to see if their prey is struggling. They will probe to see if their victim is weak. If you don’t find the courage to stand your ground, they will strike. In life, to achieve your goals, you will have to be men and women of great courage. That courage is within all of us. Dig deep, and you will find it in abundance.”
William A. McRaven, Make Your Bed (Page 72) | ★ Featured on this book list.

“If somebody is undergoing group criticism, the tribal part in you will want to join in the fun of righteously destroying somebody. Resist this, you’ll only add ugliness to the world. And anyway, they’ve already learned the lesson they’re going to learn and it probably isn’t the lesson you want.”
Ideopunk, LessWrong

“Did we exclude Miss Clark because she was different, or was she different because we excluded her? If we had taken her in as one of our own I think that is what she would be today. If we had fed, clothed, and loved her, invited her into our churches and homes, we wouldn’t be prejudiced against her.”
Delia Owens, Where The Crawdads Sing (Page 340)

“Hurt people, hurt people.”
Charles Eads, Quote Investigator

Jane Addams Quote on True Peace Being About More Than Just The Absence Of War

“True peace is not merely the absence of war but the presence of justice.”
Jane Addams

Beyond the Quote (151/365)

There is a time for words and there is a time for action. As a Martial Arts Instructor, I teach a very clear protocol to my students when it comes to self-defense situations: avoid potentially dangerous situations; be calm and breathe; communicate with confidence; and defend yourself if necessary. And if you find yourself in a situation of self-defense, use the minimum force necessary to deal with the aggressor in such a way that allows you to handle the situation properly and escape safely. I think these personal safety themes can help clear up what’s happening in response to the George Floyd police brutality case on a larger scale.

“When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.”
Richard Carlson

Beyond the Quote (25/365)

Not only does criticizing and judging other people say something about our own need to be critical, but it acts as a mirror that reveals far more about our own character than it ever does about the person being targeted. In other words, what we’re ACTUALLY doing when we’re talking about someone else is, ironically, talking solely about ourselves. Think about it.

“If your posture is poor, for example—if you slump, shoulders forward and rounded, chest tucked in, head down, looking small, defeated and ineffectual (protected, in theory, against attack from behind)—then you will feel small, defeated and ineffectual. The reactions of others will amplify that. If you present yourself as defeated, then people will react to you as if you are losing. If you start to straighten up, then people will look at and treat you differently.” ~ Jordan Peterson, via 12 Rules for Life (Page 26)

“People who are secure with themselves don’t bully other people. They look out for other people, so if you’re getting bullied you know that you’re dealing with someone who has problem areas you can exploit or soothe. Sometimes the best way to defeat a bully is to actually help them.” ~ David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me

“I looked at the people who were making me feel uncomfortable and realized how uncomfortable they were in their own skin. To make fun of or try to intimidate someone they didn’t even know based on race alone was a clear indication that something was very wrong with them, not me. But when you have no confidence it becomes easy to value other people’s opinions, and I was valuing everyone’s opinion without considering the minds that generated them.” ~ David Goggins, Can’t Hurt Me

Pay attention to what the haters are showing you.

How Little Actions Can Change Lives — A Short Story About Bullying

Excerpt: This story is about Kyle—a high school valedictorian who gave a speech about a bullying incident and how one small action changed his life.

“Victims [of bullying] say that when they’re taunted and demeaned and no one comes to their defense, they start to believe they deserve it. They start to judge themselves and to think that they are inferior.” ~ Carol Dweck, Mindset

“When we judge or criticize another person, it says nothing about that person; it merely says something about our own need to be critical.”
Richard Carlson, Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff