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> Calling shame "violent" is dismissing actual violence.

It's worse than that. Calling words violence justifies the use of "defensive", actual violence against someone that has used "violent communication" – whatever the hell that might mean at the moment.




> justifies the use of "defensive"

Where I grew up this was the norm. There were things that could only be said with full understanding that physical violence is the only possible response. And while I do not condone violence and would not want children to grow up in the same environment, I have to admit that the possibility of things escalating from words to punches did act as a deterrent. I also wonder if the modern zero tolerance attitude to violence is the reason for such wider spread bullying problem.


The pen is mightier than the sword.


That may be, but I think we can all agree that being loose with our definitions in such a way that it incentivizes "bringing a sword to a pen fight" is a bad thing.


Thank you so much for the "bringing a sword to a pen fight" phrase. Now I need to find a good place to use it.




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