Why The Quiet Ones Are Often Targets for Bullies

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Quiet people are mysterious because they’re people of few words. Many of them are also stoic, which only makes it that much harder to peg them. Often bullies target these people for several reasons:

1. Quiet people are presumed to be easy targets. They think that if you aren’t loud and obnoxious, you must be weak, afraid, and least likely to fight back in an altercation.

 2. They’re are mistaken for being standoffish. Bullies will presume that quiet people are stuck up and think they’re too good to speak. And bullies can’t stand it if there’s a possibility that someone is ignoring them. So they target the person to get a reaction out of them. Or, they punish them for “being so stuck up.”

 3. They’re hard to figure out. People of few words strike fear into others. The less you say, the harder other people must work to figure you out. Remember that most bullies bully out of fear.

 4. A silent person is less predictable. And bullies hate it when targets are unpredictable. If they can’t predict the target’s next move, the least likely they are to be able to dupe them or set them up to get jumped or to be humiliated. Many bullies see this as a challenge and will rise to it by provoking the person to get a reaction.

Quiet people don’t show their cards, and bullies resent them for making them have to work so hard to pin them.

5. A quiet person puts bullies on the defensive. People often think that the silent are sneaky and have something to hide. So bullies will often target them to shake them up and make them slip up and accidentally reveal something out of nervousness.

Bullies often believe the stereotypes they’ve heard about people of few words:

“It’s the quiet ones you have to watch out for!”

“The quiet ones are the most dangerous!”

 If you’re a silent person and you’re a target of bullies. Don’t let them shake you. Continue to play your cards close to the vest. Your lack of predictability is what protects you. You must understand that silence has a power all it’s own. Use it.

0 thoughts on “Why The Quiet Ones Are Often Targets for Bullies

  1. 80smetalman says:

    I learned to be quiet because it always seemed I was saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. With bullies, it was a case of damned if I did, damned if I didn’t.

    • cheriewhite says:

      I can so relate, Michael. And sadly, it’s only the nature of bullies and bullying in general- if you’re a target, you’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t.

  2. Petrina says:

    This is all so true! It sounds like my experience. Minding my own business and I’m kind to people, but bullies and troublemakers are bothered by the quietness. They are bothered when people keep to themselves. The bullies are looking for trouble and sometimes, they start rumors and slander you. I’m grateful for my experiences, because I’m strong now and I enjoy causing people to wonder about me or be wary because I don’t give them much to work with. And they are not getting much from me in the future! I hardly say anything to them, but they also best not mess with me. I love it.

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