Senior Brother (师兄)

Ok, fuck it, I wasn't gonna go there, but I changed my mind. This explains a lot about what's wrong with people today. Yes, violence is a problem. We know that. There's another problem here, and it's one nobody seems particularly interested in discussing. The kid just stood there and let someone assault him, without defending himself. Now, I understand there are philosophical, moral, and legal considerations here. Restraint can be admirable. Consider the incentives. The man who threw that punch knows that the consequences will be minor. Maybe an arrest. Bail is probably in the three digits. Maybe a fine. Maybe a slap on the wrist. Now, what if his intended victim had defended himself? What if, instead of an easy target, he'd encountered someone willing and able to fight back? He might have walked away with a bloody nose. He might have ended up in the hospital. Suddenly, assaulting a stranger wouldn't seem quite so appealing, would it? Now, I'm not telling anyone what to do. I'm not your priest, rabbi, reverend, pastor, or lawyer. I'm just a girl who was bullied rather severely until middle school. One day, I'd had enough. I picked up a piece of furniture and hit my bully with it. Hard enough to send her to the hospital. I was arrested. I spent several days in juvenile detention. The charges were eventually dropped. You know what else happened? Nobody ever bullied me again. Not physically. Not verbally. Not even the nasty little remarks behind my back. Was what I did legally or morally justified? That's a perfectly reasonable question, and one I've had plenty of time to consider. But here's something else worth considering: Some people interpret restraint as decency. Others interpret it as permission. Some people will continue hurting others for as long as they believe they can do so without meaningful consequences. Violence shouldn't be our first response. It shouldn't be our preferred response. The right to defend yourself matters precisely because some people cannot be persuaded by words alone. Years ago, i'd admire that young mans' composure. Today? I'm disgusted by his cowardice. We've taught several generations that being a good person means being a helpless victim, and allowing others to hit you without meaningful concequences. Either society needs to catch up legally, or society needs to catch up with immediate physical repercussions.