I understand what you're saying and I likely misread a few of
   the things you had stated previously.

   No, I'm not arguing for passivity.

   No punching bags here.

   It's being _unmoved_ in the face of danger. Standing your
   ground.

   If the attacker strikes you, you let the momentum of their
   strike cause THEM to tumble and fall.

   But I was lucky: I was bullied - more than some, less than
   others. I never heard of swirlies until I saw it in the movies.
   People who were mean to me, I saw as misguided fools.

   Kids tried to torment me, but I was fast runner (fastest in 8-10
   years old - each year), and I knew how to talk my way out of
   trouble. I outwitted them by confusing them. I think
   differently. I thought differently.

   They wanted BATTLE!

   I didn't.

   I'm not better than anybody. I just had different experiences,
   learned different lessons, went about things differently.

   I suppose I did an US and THEM and still do. People that weren't
   nice to me or who actively attacked me, did not exist to me.

   I was never in a "power position" to fix things in a once and
   for all fashion.

   When I *have* been in powerful positions, fostering
   togetherness, allowing dissenting opinions, and giving people
   the freedom to leave if they wished was important to me.

   But NO VENGEANCE!

   Anytime I was in a power position, a No Vengeance rule was firm,
   hard, fast and strict. Vengeful? You talk it out. If you can't
   talk it out even with mediation, you're gone. History. Kaput.
   Outta here. Not my problem.

   So, I do have an US and THEM system.

   Am I in a position to change the world?

   NO.

   I'm a guy sitting behind a computer.

   Do I run organizations that have the power to change the course
   of history?

   No.

   I have my influence and I use it where I can. Whatever is
   outside of my influence, I may have some _opinions_ on, but
   really, my opinions do not matter.

   But I am not passive. I am firm. I advocate being firm and
   sticking to your plans. I advocate not allowing emotional
   manipulation. If there is emotional manipulation, the one
   manipulated must be fixed as soon as possible, and the one doing
   the emotional manipulating runs the strong risk of being cast
   out.

   Out to where?

   I don't know. There are other people in the world than me. There
   are people better equipped for dealing with them. I can fix
   certain problems. I can't fix certain problems. I cant' give
   answers for problems I cannot fix. But I can be the best at
   those things that I am good at.