Give me your milk money or I’ll get “Everybody” involved!
Bullies like to use insults that get “Everybody” involved such as… “Everyone hates you” or “You’re crazy. Just like everyone says.” On the surface the random comment is unrelated to the topic discussed. It’s not random. It is flung when bullies can’t get their way using other means of pressure or insults.
Bullies find it gratifying to expand their narrow singular viewpoint to include the entire world population. An “Everyone” slam intends to assert that you’re detestable and therefore being shunned. They find the grandiosity more fulfilling than the average put-down because in their mind the claim becomes absolute.
The flip of that technique is to quote a specific person. The person the bully refers to can be your friend, acquaintance, stranger, neighbor, co-worker, child or other family member. It can be someone you saw yesterday or decades ago. Basically it can be “anyone”. Bullies quote “Everyone” and/or specific people in an attempt to isolate you because they prefer an easy target.
As a children’s entertainer I speak about bullying and how to stop it. I research the topic, study the animal world for inspiration and use my childhood experiences. I tell kids bullying isn’t just a middle or high-school problem. It can start in young kids and adults bully too.
