Bullies never prosper

Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,794
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I got a fair bit of grief at school for being unathletic, more into Dr Who than Derby County, and not being considered hard. I often look back and think what happened to my bullying foes. One, a real nutter who was expelled from school for hitting someone with a hammer, hasn't worked in his life, shuffles around Morrisons aimlessly all day and looks about as threatening as a tortoise now. Another one is now serving 16 years in jail for a string of offences and has lost everything. It does make you wonder if the old saying of bullies never prosper is true.
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  • RebelScumRebelScum Posts: 16,008
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    Although no doubt many bullies end up amounting to little, some can use that "energy and drive" to reach the top of the ladder. You don't always end up being in charge of a successful multinational company, politician, top athlete or award winning actor by being passive wonderful human being.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,794
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    RebelScum wrote: »
    Although no doubt many bullies end up amounting to little, some can use that "energy and drive" to reach the top of the ladder. You don't always end up being in charge of a successful multinational company, politician, top athlete or award winning actor by being passive wonderful human being.

    I know another one who is now a very successful chartered surveyor in Edinburgh, probably because he had the gift of the gab and played rugby union( considered more of a middle class game here than league, could have opened some doors in later life). Still a nasty piece of work to me and when I saw him two years ago, he looked wasted and very skinny.
    Yet hammer boy is an interesting case. He was expelled a week before his A levels, then spun a yarn about retaking them at the local college and being accepted for university to read history, which was a complete myth as he was always wandering the town centre when he should have been darn sarf. Then I can remember overhearing him in the early 90s in the local library telling a couple he was a journalist with The Scotsman, when again he was nothing og the sort and probably tried to impress them as they seemed educated. Strange chap to say the least, but a terrifying one when I was at school
  • mrsgrumpy49mrsgrumpy49 Posts: 10,061
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    I think that saying is a load of tosh. I got a fair amount of bullying at school - mainly on account of my very unusual surname (coughs). It ranged from mental to physical. Years back I went to a school reunion. I doubt the worst offenders - who had done quite well for themselves and turned out quite well - even remembered what they put me through. People do change at that age.
    One of the surprises was the girl who was always sloping off school and who was expelled for getting drunk in the town precinct during the school day and swearing at a local councillor. She's a senior Social Worker now!
  • Sky_GuySky_Guy Posts: 6,859
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    Not all bullies are nasty people, when they leave school and think back, they are ashamed of what they did.

    I agree some people are just *****.
  • KarlSomethingKarlSomething Posts: 3,529
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    There are plenty of people who benefit from beating people up and taking their stuff. It's not something we can rely on sorting itself out.
  • housegirlhousegirl Posts: 6,017
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    I watch this on BBC it very moving


    http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b053kxhs
  • Keyser_Soze1Keyser_Soze1 Posts: 25,182
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    That saying is just something to comfort people - a bit like the concepts of Karma or Heaven and Hell.

    Bullies do indeed prosper - take a look throughout human history.

    The biggest shits often have a wonderful life.

    A good modern example?

    Ian Duncan Heydrich.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 68,508
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    I certainly wouldn't say it's always true, but it can be. In a lot of jobs - perhaps most - you have to 'carry' your colleagues/ staff / clients with you, ie if they detest you, they can make your life hell. When I was a PC one of my colleagues was a terrible, classic bully and he seemed to spend half his life off sick with a black eye or something. I wouldn't say he was in danger of drowning in a tidal wave of sympathy either. People generally thought he was a dangerous nut.
  • Poppy99_PoppyPoppy99_Poppy Posts: 2,255
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    I don't believe in karma. Bullies very often prosper.
  • Regis MagnaeRegis Magnae Posts: 6,810
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    Another BS saying.
  • skp20040skp20040 Posts: 66,872
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    Glenn A wrote: »
    Bullies never prosper

    I tend to find most bullies are actually cowards , but to say bullies never prosper sadly is just not true, it is good to see those that regret their actions, it is good to see those that do not regret them fall flat on their face, but all too often far too many bullies do prosper and generally at the expense of others.
  • 2-Pot Screamer2-Pot Screamer Posts: 34,238
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    Wish it were true, but very often they do!
  • AlrightmateAlrightmate Posts: 73,120
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    I thought the saying was 'cheats never prosper', I haven't heard it applied to bullies,
  • Jim_McIntoshJim_McIntosh Posts: 5,866
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    Good people prosper.
    Good people suffer.
    Bad people prosper.
    Bad people suffer.

    If your own prospering or suffering is your motivation to do good rather than it being in-built then I wonder how good that person really is.

    (Ignoring the questions about what 'good' and 'bad' are.)
  • dee123dee123 Posts: 46,201
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    Good people prosper.
    Good people suffer.
    Bad people prosper.
    Bad people suffer.

    If your own prospering or suffering is your motivation to do good rather than it being in-built then I wonder how good that person really is.

    (Ignoring the questions about what 'good' and 'bad' are.)

    Exactly.
  • Guts and GloryGuts and Glory Posts: 1,739
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    Good people prosper.
    Good people suffer.
    Bad people prosper.
    Bad people suffer.

    Exactly. Some bullies will end up as high flyers, and some will end up on the Jeremy Kyle show. Some victims will work in a call centre all their lives, and some will become property developers. C'est la vie.
  • jonner101jonner101 Posts: 3,410
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    People who are good at bullying and get into a good position in life do very well in my experience.

    That's life
  • fastzombiefastzombie Posts: 10,624
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    I would say that the hardcore bullies, the ones who don't grow out of it, regret it, or adjust to the niceties of the adult world, often that motivation to dominate and abuse tends to be the cause of their undoing anyway. The people who will prosper are the ones with brains and the ability to be able to sell their mothers to get what they want, bullying is optional.

    I've known a few unpleasant people like that but no matter what the material gain is, it's often poor relationships and a lack of contentment in their lives that makes it less than prosperous.
  • shmiskshmisk Posts: 7,963
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    I looked up the girl who spat in my hair every day for 2 straight years at school on face book and she seems to be doing just fine - better then me in fact
  • benjaminibenjamini Posts: 32,066
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    I've found quite the reverse actually.
  • GirthGirth Posts: 12,403
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    I've never heard this expression. I have heard the saying 'cheats never prosper'. Both these sayings are wrong.
  • jesayajesaya Posts: 35,597
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    Girth wrote: »
    I've never heard this expression. I have heard the saying 'cheats never prosper'. Both these sayings are wrong.

    Indeed - and whilst I might like to think that they know their actions are wrong and are riven by guilt, I know that is unlikely to be true either. I cannot honestly say I understand what goes on in their heads when they bully or cheat, but I am just grateful I am not in there with them.
  • RadiomaniacRadiomaniac Posts: 43,510
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    The **** that bullied me through two schools daily, making every school day a misery and ruining my memories of all those days, is looking very well, happy, healthy and prosperous on Facebook.

    Now I'm grown up and 45 years later, I'd still want to smash her face in should our paths cross.
  • Glenn AGlenn A Posts: 23,794
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    fastzombie wrote: »
    I would say that the hardcore bullies, the ones who don't grow out of it, regret it, or adjust to the niceties of the adult world, often that motivation to dominate and abuse tends to be the cause of their undoing anyway. The people who will prosper are the ones with brains and the ability to be able to sell their mothers to get what they want, bullying is optional.

    I've known a few unpleasant people like that but no matter what the material gain is, it's often poor relationships and a lack of contentment in their lives that makes it less than prosperous.

    It's half and half, one I remember from school is serving 16 years for some very serious criminal offences, yet another, who actually apologised for his actions and turned into a friend after school, now is a successful trader of cars on EBAY. The guy who got 16 years didn't surprise me, tho.
  • R82n8R82n8 Posts: 3,656
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    Some do, some don't.
    Life is a funny old thing.
    The bully's get away scot free most of the time and the bullied have to live with it for the rest of their lives.
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