Hi Cornflower,
Bullies can be useful tools for executive management. Instead of direct confrontation with those who may disagree they use those weak bootlicking intelligent challenged but ambitious people to bully and hopefully frighten the opposition away, especially where management does not want any questions asked of a particular policy line. Watch parliament for example. Intelligent debate is becoming less and less. It is now a situation where personal attack is the name of the game with little enough to do with running a government

The rude colloquial saying is that sh*te rolls down from the top.

An unpleasant image but it blows the gaffe on executive management who pretend to be unaware of their own deliberate strategies.

What shouldn't be forgotten is that such unethical behaviour is a red flag for more generalised corruption, which is not surprising really.

'Ring any bells, Hq?'

Oh Rob, he obviously made a lasting impression on you. I'm doubtful the reverse is true. It's a measure of the man.

As for me being a bully? I don't even remember conversing with you much on OLO. As I've said before, people who normally converse with me have done so for a year. Now on a forum where I can simply be ignored, obviously they get some great entertainment by continuing to converse with me. That doesn't sound like a bully-victim relationship.

You've no need to spend so much time excusing and justifying your own bullying to me. I was just after some honesty from the victim brigade. Besides, the high and mighty court of the established users is where you will need to beg for redemption.

Which brings me to Foxy,

Oh Foxy, I have explained many times that I have a different motivation for posting on OLO. Now you might decide 'admirable qualities' are something to 'command attention' with, but that's just showing your inherent need for attention and affirmation (like r0bert). It would be hard for you to understand someone who doesn't need this affirmation, and I understand why you would have so much trouble understanding someone who has no need to be seen as intelligent or having 'admirable' qualities.

If I so wished, I could give you what you want and engage with the discussion in a way that you desire. But I don't think many of these discussions or posters are worthy of my serious input. Besides, why would I let myself be bullied into communicating on your terms. I'm here to take entertainment without any desire of giving anything in return. That I happen to keep your attention says more about your love for me than my supposed need for attention.

r0bert,

'powerful'? On a discussion forum? Maybe if you stopped searching for affirmation you'd understand I am not nor do I need to be seen as powerful here. Neither do you, so don't waste you time with envy.

Becky why would you think it was you? ;)

As Foxy pointed out elsewhere your joke is getting rather old, it's starting to sound like jokes about dogs. Perhaps it's you who has no understanding of people who enjoy this site when discussions can be had with a degree of politeness.

R0bert

I can understand people who would prefer to watch The Waltons or A Country Practice r0bert. It's just I'd rather watch something with a bit more spice.

I can understand you all get a hard-on over saving the world and creating your theoretical utopia's, but I'm here for entertainment.

Still waiting for the victim brigade to relate their stories of when they were the bully...

BTW: I don't think it's 'polite' to cast cowardly aspersions as you and Foxy have. Even if it wasn't about me, it still wouldn't be polite. Like whispering derogatory remarks about someone at the dinner table. The hypocrisy drips from you two from every pore.

The problem with sweeping assumptions is that one size tends to fit no one. Psychological generalization are at their least helpful when attempting to describe specific personalities.

It is one thing to say that there is a tendency in society but it is another thing to project that onto an individual. Making the determination is the reason we have professionals.

I spent much of my life subject to bullies of one kind or another who's motives were wide and varied. However there were some observation that could be made . Specifically the "problem" usually emanated from the bully (inability to understand, weakness, fear) rather than the person being bullied.

The most common reason was that the bullied person had something that made them stand out from the rest of the crowd. Bullies tend to view difference(s) as some sort of threat to their own view of the way the world should be.

Likewise it is exceedingly superficial to suggest that politeness or an instance for that is because that person need approval etc.

Context and complete assessment and testing is the only way to make those judgments. Personally I tend to try and avoid such judgments especially when those who stand out often have a very different perspective. Therefore the social norm assumptions are unlikely to apply.