> If you had some that you would categorize as only bullying people that bullied others, would this fit with a justice perception? How does this account for someone "repenting," as it were, of bullying?
I think some of it was complex rivalries. Bullies on the top were the cool kids who cared about their image a lot. They mostly bullied bullies who were challenging their status. They were also more sophisticated in their bullying and have other bullies do the dirty work of physical fights.
Then there were hero bullies who targeted other bullies. These hero bullies were usually stronger kids and really looking for fights. They didn't care about their images as much. A lot of time they were already in trouble with school. They would become protectors of the weakest kids. But they were probably the most violent and beat up the bullies of those weakest kids pretty bad. Maybe they had a savior complex. We really considered them heros at the time but now I realize that they went too far and probably pushed their victim bullies to get more violent.
> For many, it often isn't even a choice moreso a by product of the general environment they find themselves in
Yes, it was indeed the environment, at least, for some kids. Almost every kid was victim and a bully at the same time. We were like dogs, there was power hierarchy that was constantly challenged and enforced. Things would be fine most of the time if you didn't challenge anyone, every once in a while someone try to establish their dominance over you by verbally or physically assaulting you.
I think some of it was complex rivalries. Bullies on the top were the cool kids who cared about their image a lot. They mostly bullied bullies who were challenging their status. They were also more sophisticated in their bullying and have other bullies do the dirty work of physical fights.
Then there were hero bullies who targeted other bullies. These hero bullies were usually stronger kids and really looking for fights. They didn't care about their images as much. A lot of time they were already in trouble with school. They would become protectors of the weakest kids. But they were probably the most violent and beat up the bullies of those weakest kids pretty bad. Maybe they had a savior complex. We really considered them heros at the time but now I realize that they went too far and probably pushed their victim bullies to get more violent.
> For many, it often isn't even a choice moreso a by product of the general environment they find themselves in
Yes, it was indeed the environment, at least, for some kids. Almost every kid was victim and a bully at the same time. We were like dogs, there was power hierarchy that was constantly challenged and enforced. Things would be fine most of the time if you didn't challenge anyone, every once in a while someone try to establish their dominance over you by verbally or physically assaulting you.