A Bully Is Just A Bully

This Week was reduced to a shouting match again the other Sunday.  As a result, we've come away with little information of use to this world.

Verbal bully behavior, whether in one's personal life, or on television is regrettable.  I don't know why people think that the person who shouts the loudest is the one who is right.  By their shouting behavior, apparently a lot of talk show participants do think so.  At least they believe they win when they do it.

People just are not always going to agree.  That happens to be a good thing, not bad.  It's obvious that most discussion programs are set up with representatives from both sides of an issue.  But once in a while, more care needs to be taken with the personality types that are mixed together.  Some guests of bigger than life standing deserve to be heard, even when we disagree with them.  Others, especially the wannabe pundits, can be especially cantankerous.  Last Sunday, there was a mix of loud mouths and quiet spoken individuals.  When the quiet ones began expressing opinions, they got talked over again and again.  Sometimes it is difficult to understand why we are subjected to loud, highly opinionated people who haven't that much to offer.

Being a woman, I'm all for the success of the female gender (I almost want to say species).  But get some assertiveness training ladies.  Being assertive means getting your points across in a calm, consistent and respectful way.  It includes listening to others.  It does not mean shouting down someone who disagrees with you just because you are louder and meaner than they.

I'm reminded of my own introduction to assertiveness training which began with the statement that overly aggressive people need assertiveness training just as much as passive people do.

Perhaps discussions such as the Round Table need to formulate some rules for participation similar to those used in debates.  Each person might be told they have X seconds or minutes to respond and that they cannot interrupt or shout each other down.  Then, stick to the rules.

I imagine most viewers watch these shows to learn, not to witness some brou-ha-ha staged with bullies.  After all a bully is just that -- and it doesn't make the bully right.