‘Want to know about all the things bullies hate? Here are the most common things they despise.
There are things bullies hate, and if you know what they are, you can use them to gain an advantage.
Therefore, in this post, you will learn all about the most common things bullies hate so that you can weaponize them to defend yourself.
Once you learn all about this critical information, you will be better able to protect yourself the next time they come for you.
This post is all about the things bullies hate most, so that you can gain the advantage you need to ensure your safety.
Things Bullies Hate
Bullies have images to keep up. Therefore, they hate anything that pokes holes in their image. And they hate anyone who sees behind the facades. So, what are the things that might threaten their images of perfection?
1. Constructive Criticism
Bullies don’t take constructive criticism very well. They only react to it as if it is a personal attack. Constructive criticism is designed to help you, not harm you. However, bullies don’t see it that way.
Constructive criticism makes you better. In contrast, destructive criticism tears you down. Let’s give an example of constructive and destructive criticism.
Constructive:
“What you did was foolish.”
Destructive:
“You’re foolish.”
Constructive criticism attacks the deed. Destructive criticism attacks the person. However, bullies can’t tell the difference because they’re too wrapped up in themselves to notice.
Remember that bullies are highly egocentric. They must always be right about everything. Or, more appropriately, look as if they’re right about everything. Bullies have a knack for hiding beneath a veneer of total perfection.
They do this for several reasons.
- It makes them look better than they really are.
- The veneer of perfection can be used as protection from accountability and shield them from reproach.
- It can be used to draw others to them and fool them.
- It can be used as a weapon against their targets.
- It gives them status and social capital.
- It gives them the attention and admiration they seek.
Things Bullies Hate:
Bullies hate getting it, but they love giving it.
Bullies love criticizing you because it makes them look like they’re smarter than you. They will use the veil of constructive criticism to disparage others they deem inferior and unworthy.
They may tell you that they’re only giving you this criticism to help you. However, they’re doing it to show you and everyone else that they’re superior to you. A bully’s hypocrisy knows no bounds.
If a bully ever unfairly criticizes you, you must stand up to them. Tell them in no uncertain terms to mind their own affairs and go on about their business.
And if they keep it up, hit them with their own book of standards. You can always say something like:
“That sounds real good coming from someone who doesn’t practice what they preach. Now, get out of here and go on about your business.”
This is one comeback you can use. It’s straightforward and, even better, it’s blunt. It’s nothing fancy. You don’t have to get cute or witty with it. Just say what you mean, mean what you say, and say it in as few words as possible.
2. Rules
Bullies hate following rules. Remember that bullies have a grandiose sense of entitlement. Moreover, they crave power. And the more power they have, the more they want.
Therefore, they feel that rules don’t apply to them. In their minds, rules are for everyone else.
3. Things Bullies Hate:
Being Stood up to
Bullies despise it when you stand up to them. Why? Because you are challenging their perceived authority. Therefore, they will fight you tooth and nail to reinforce their power over you.
Realize that when you stand up to a bully, things usually get worse before they get better. This is because bullies aren’t used to you defending yourself. In fact, they aren’t used to anyone standing up to them.
This is because others usually kiss their ass and give them free reign.
Therefore, bullies grow quite comfortable with having carte blanche to ride roughshod over you any time they feel like it. And they don’t want those advantages to stop.
Therefore, they’ll fight even harder to keep getting those benefits, even if they do come at your expense.
You must get this through your head right now. Bullies do not care about how they’ve hurt you. They don’t care about how much you’ve suffered from their abuse. The only thing they care about is power and whether they can keep getting what they want from you.
So, they will increase the abuse, not only to punish you, but also to wear you down. Why? Because if they can make you too tired to keep fighting, then they keep the upper hand.
Therefore, they will fight harder to keep you down at first. What you must do is stay strong, no matter how exhausted you may become. And you must also fight harder. This means you have to fight harder than they do.
It’s the only way you will ever get them to leave you alone.
4. Things Bullies Hate:
You proving them wrong
When you prove a bully wrong, you show everyone else that they aren’t so perfect. This puts a dent in their image. Therefore, they’ll try to get back at you to repair it.
5. You outshining them
Upstage a bully, and you’ll get tons of flak for it. To your bullies, you are inferior, and they want you to stay that way.
If you make a significant accomplishment, this makes your bullies look less important. You naturally overshadow anything they’ve accomplished. And they’ll do everything possible to try to reduce you back down where they think you should be.
6. Things Bullies Hate:
Competition
Bullies hate competition. And they despise it especially when it’s you they must compete with. If someone they deem inferior outmatches them in any competition. Oooo! Talk about a blow to the bully’s ego. Ouch!
Understand that bullies see any successes or accomplishments you achieve as a threat to their superiority. Why? Because the bullies’ sense of self-worth is drawn from a sense of one-upmanship and winning over.
Therefore, if you make a huge accomplishment or win any award or prize, bullies will see it as competition with them. As a result, they will escalate the bullying to punish you for that success.
Bullies will get angry and say things like:
- “You think you’re better than us!”
- “You think you’re hot stuff!”
- “You think you’re so f***ing cool, don’t you?”
I’ve come to realize that any time a bully makes any statement that begins with, “You think you’re…,” it usually means jealousy. And it means anger, or resentment aimed at you for a success or desirable quality that you have. Always!
Understand that those three little words can say so much.
7. Taking Orders
Remember that bullies are primarily concerned with exerting power. Therefore, they despise taking orders. Why? Because to take orders means that they must be in a position of inferiority.
Bullies have an attitude of superiority. They don’t follow orders; they give them.
8. Things Bullies Hate:
Someone treating them the way they treat their victims
Bullies are notorious for expecting you to be okay with treatment that they would never be OK with. In their minds, it’s OK for them to treat others with disrespect.
However, when you kick the shit back their way, they become outraged. This is because bullies think that they’re exempt from having to suffer negative treatment.
Bullies think that they’re entitled to respect and admiration. And they become quite angry if you don’t give it to them. Moreover, they may even retaliate vengefully if they feel you aren’t giving them the recognition they think they deserve.
Therefore, see them for who they are… a bunch of smug, self-important turds who think the world should bow before them. Instead of kissing up to them, give them the treatment they give you. Regard them with indifference and dismissal.
9. Being ignored.
I’ve met many bullies who despised being ignored, even if they were acting like total jackasses. Realize that bullies crave attention, and they will do anything to get it.
They want to be the center of attention. “All eyes on me! Look at me! I’m special!”
Therefore, the best thing to do with them is to give them the attention they don’t want. And that is to stand up to them and tell them to get a life. Also, you can give them a dismissive look and walk away.
Things Bullies Hate:
In Closing
Bullies hate anything that doesn’t focus on them. Therefore, the worst you can do to them is dismiss them and keep going about your business. Sometimes, you must give bullies a dose of their own medicine to keep your self-esteem intact.
If you know what your bullies hate most, you can leverage it.
This post was all about the things bullies hate so that you can use them to your advantage.
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1. Jealousy and Bullying: 7 Proven Signs Your Bullies are Jealous