[davymac]

“...Unless one or the other initiates force...”

If someone was making fun of an awkward, possibly autistic looking man, because he had long untrimmed fingernails (or whatever insecure insults bullies dish these days)... would it be your business? Would you step in? What if the person being ridiculed wasn’t a stranger but a friend, would you step in? What if it was your brother?

Everyone is allowed to defend themselves, but in big crowds, people put up with a lot more bullshit to keep the peace for those around them, even when it costs them a great deal of anguish.

..My point being that even though we wish these situations were black and white, our humanity should make us see the gray. So sometimes when we see someone considering jumping on a social grenade for us, we should consider doing the same for them.