I just had an encounter with a Youtube bully, and, as per recommendation, I reported her. Crazy! It was over an OPINION about the movie “I can Make You Love Me” with Richard Thomas and Brooke Shields. (Drama about a woman who was being stalked by a co-worker).

Anyway, I wasn’t even talking to this person, and she goes off, insulting me and swearing like a long shoreman. I wasn’t gonna put up with that kinda garbage. Why can’t people disagree without acting like crazoes!? 🙁

That is just SAD :'( :'( For me, I just block the creeps. I’m very hard headed about things. If I wanna do something, and you try to stop me, I’ll find a way NOT to listen and move on.

I remember one troll I had on facebook. No matter what I said or who I was talking to, this moron would trash it. So, I blocked him and kept right on talking.

Depending on the issue, I might be willing to give in to keep the peace. Other times, I’ll fight. A songwriter friend taught me how to do that. Pick your battles. Fight the ones worth fighting. And freedom of speech is a cause worth fighting for! 😀

I’ve had writers who completely left blogging then writing because of bullying. I hate that because then the bullies win 🙁 .

Hi Kristen 😀

Great (but scary) post, that there are people in the world, as ADULTS, who live to treat others like their servants and punching bags.

I used to be bullied, but I’ve turned that around over time. Now, if I need to do something, or say something about…whatever, I do it. Nicely at first, and then aggressive if worse comes to worst. I don’t put up with crap anymore.

I don’t know that it’s a gene thing, because I don’t have the healthiest gene pool when it comes to constructive behavior, but I’m not a bully. Personally, I think it’s more of a home structure thing. If a kid sees that bullying gets the bullier what they want, the kids might tend to try that route. Or, they are the one who gets bullied because they don’t like the bullying. But there is a ‘happy medium.’ We can Stand up for ourselves without taking the “My way or the Highway” approach.

I’m just totally amazed that there are writers on sites being PICKED ON, as ADULTS! The mind BOGGLES! Why are adults bullying adults? And how are kids supposed to behave any better when the adults are acting like they should be getting a ‘time out.’? 😮

You are very welcome! 😉

Thank you I appreciate that really.

This was also my childhood. It has affected me deeply, certainly in the way I deal with confrontation i.e. I don’t. I make a conscious effort not to be like either of my parents and think before doing or saying anything that could be hurtful to someone or that I might regret. We still tip toe around my father to avoid setting him off which in retrospect has probably not been the wisest way to deal with him, we should have drawn the line long ago. I fear that one day he’s going to go too far and either my sister or I are going to end up raining decades of pent up anger upon him doing irreparable damage.

I have experienced a minor amount of trouble on the internet from my boyfriend’s ex who was a complete fruit loop. When we removed the facility for her to comment anonymously she would log in as her brother but as soon as we outed her she deleted the account. There were other vain attempts to get at us but by that point it had just got boring so we ignored her and she went away.

Goodreads does sound like a bit of a minefield, I haven’t been on there as yet and admit that I’m not relishing the prospect. Even so, I’m not intending to let a bunch of bullies scare me away from using what could be a good resource. I’m not averse to criticism as long as it’s constructive and put civilly. I know that not everyone is going to love what I write and I’m sure that I’ll receive my fair share of unpleasant opinions. I’m no good at confrontation and would be more than happy to press delete and block on a troll rather than retaliate and get embroiled in a futile argument. On Facebook what concerns me almost as much as the bullying is the amount of young people who don’t use the delete and block facilities not to mention why they have added their tormentors to their friends list in the first place. I’m not a teenager in today’s world which is probably why it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me. I just wish social networks were more proactive in dealing with this issue.