Azure Jane Lunatic (Azz) 🌺 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
azurelunatic) wrote2003-09-29 05:38 pm
azurelunatic) wrote2003-09-29 05:38 pm
Propaganda as practiced by bullies
Commented elsewhere; expanded here, because it deserves its own post.
Among the worst kind of bully is the kind that lies, and makes the victim out to be the bully. It's laughable if the lies are blatantly untrue to anyone who's got senses to observe and a brain to interpret with, but dangerous if they're so subtle and in-character for the victim that a third party, not armed with knowledge of the situation, could reasonably believe the bully, based on a cursory or even deeper knowledge of the victim.
I don't know how to fight the subtle lies, except by taking the example and advice of Aral and Miles1, and using them to the advantage, and praying that those whose opinion counts are not decieved.
The blatant lie is more easily battled. Say Anna has done no wrong, and Beth tells Cindy, Diane, Ellen, Freda, Georgette, and Harriet that Anna has done something utterly out-of-character and evil.
Cindy knows Anna, tells Beth that she's full of shit, and cross-checks with Anna just to be sure. Beth's relationship with Anna and Cindy has just been damaged, especially if Cindy and/or Anna report this.
Diane doesn't know Anna, and doesn't know Beth all that well. Diane steers clear of Anna, not wishing to get involved. This is what many people will do if they've heard that someone's an evil bastard. Sadly, Diane and Anna will probably never get to know each other, but all things concerned, it's a fairly neutral situation.
Ellen is friends with Beth, does not know Anna, and takes Beth at her word. If Ellen is inclined to believe the best of people, she will probably eventually think Beth was mistaken.
Freda does not know Anna, but is thrust together with her in various situations afterward. Freda notices that what Beth said about Anna does not fit together very well with how Anna behaves, and unfortunately lines up with the general theme of Beth being a lying bully.
Georgette doesn't know Anna yet. If Georgette is inclined to believe the worst about people, she will probably see things in Anna's behaviour to warrant Beth's judgement. Georgette is probably not someone Anna wants to be friends with, in that case.
Harriet is friends with Beth, and gets to know Anna quite well. Harriet joins Beth in spreading lies about Anna. Either Harriet is exceptionally deluded, stupid, or a bully herself. Either way, not necessarily someone Anna would want to be friends with.
The only one who Beth earns points with are people as mean as she is, or people who are dumb enough to believe her. If Beth gets caught in a malicious lie, she typically loses friends...
[1]: A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold (dendarii.com,![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
lmbujold, referencing events detailed further in Komarr and Shards of Honor (Shards is omnibused with Barrayar in Cordelia's Honor).
Among the worst kind of bully is the kind that lies, and makes the victim out to be the bully. It's laughable if the lies are blatantly untrue to anyone who's got senses to observe and a brain to interpret with, but dangerous if they're so subtle and in-character for the victim that a third party, not armed with knowledge of the situation, could reasonably believe the bully, based on a cursory or even deeper knowledge of the victim.
I don't know how to fight the subtle lies, except by taking the example and advice of Aral and Miles1, and using them to the advantage, and praying that those whose opinion counts are not decieved.
The blatant lie is more easily battled. Say Anna has done no wrong, and Beth tells Cindy, Diane, Ellen, Freda, Georgette, and Harriet that Anna has done something utterly out-of-character and evil.
Cindy knows Anna, tells Beth that she's full of shit, and cross-checks with Anna just to be sure. Beth's relationship with Anna and Cindy has just been damaged, especially if Cindy and/or Anna report this.
Diane doesn't know Anna, and doesn't know Beth all that well. Diane steers clear of Anna, not wishing to get involved. This is what many people will do if they've heard that someone's an evil bastard. Sadly, Diane and Anna will probably never get to know each other, but all things concerned, it's a fairly neutral situation.
Ellen is friends with Beth, does not know Anna, and takes Beth at her word. If Ellen is inclined to believe the best of people, she will probably eventually think Beth was mistaken.
Freda does not know Anna, but is thrust together with her in various situations afterward. Freda notices that what Beth said about Anna does not fit together very well with how Anna behaves, and unfortunately lines up with the general theme of Beth being a lying bully.
Georgette doesn't know Anna yet. If Georgette is inclined to believe the worst about people, she will probably see things in Anna's behaviour to warrant Beth's judgement. Georgette is probably not someone Anna wants to be friends with, in that case.
Harriet is friends with Beth, and gets to know Anna quite well. Harriet joins Beth in spreading lies about Anna. Either Harriet is exceptionally deluded, stupid, or a bully herself. Either way, not necessarily someone Anna would want to be friends with.
The only one who Beth earns points with are people as mean as she is, or people who are dumb enough to believe her. If Beth gets caught in a malicious lie, she typically loses friends...
[1]: A Civil Campaign, Lois McMaster Bujold (dendarii.com,
lmbujold, referencing events detailed further in Komarr and Shards of Honor (Shards is omnibused with Barrayar in Cordelia's Honor).
no subject
But I really don't know what to do when I'm being lied about except make as much truth as possible public!
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