A Rogue Scholar's Take on Bullying

A new school year has arrived, and I want to offer something raw — not from theory, but from experience.

Bullies

I've dealt with bullies since kindergarten. And here's what I learned: fighting back works. Not always in fists — though sometimes, yes — but always with resolve.

Bullied, Not Broken

In early grade school, I had a kid my size in name only. He was bigger, louder, and more aggressive. He chose me. One punch to the mouth ended it. He left me alone.

Another time, a classmate in 5th grade thought it was funny to breathe his disgusting breath in my face. I knocked the wind out of him. He laughed afterward — and oddly, we became friends.

At one point, I tried being the bully. Once.

I jumped on a bigger kid's back, shouted something dumb, and laughed. Then I saw his face. Saw his tears. Something hit me harder than any punch ever could: conviction.

I apologized immediately. I never did it again. It made me feel like dirt. And that shame was right. That's what a conscience is for — a check engine light for your soul.

Armor Isn't Given. It's Built.

11th grade brought a new round of hostility. I didn't curl up. I escalated. I trained in PFS Jeet Kune Do using Paul Vunak’s videos. I built a skillset — and not just physically. The training gave me confidence, and that changed everything. I stopped taking verbal bait. I started choosing my battles. I grew armor.

Not arrogance. Armor.

I realized that insults only land if you let them. And most bullies feed on your reaction. When you don't play their game, they lose interest — or escalate, in which case you act decisively. Calmly. Legally, if possible. Strategically always.

The Post-Columbine Panic

After Columbine, bullying hit the national radar. The shooters claimed they were bullied. Maybe they were. But that didn't justify the slaughter. Their actions were evil. But instead of strengthening kids, our culture overcorrected — locking down schools and bubble-wrapping childhood.

That was the beginning of safetyism — a world where discomfort became a pathology and toughness became taboo.

Now, we live in a society where even thinking about fighting back can get a kid expelled. So what's a parent or mentor to do?