From: rc@depsych.Gwinnett.COM (Richard Carlson)
Newsgroups: misc.kids,alt.postmodern
Subject: Re: BARBIE DOES IT AGAIN!!!!
Date: 12 Oct 92 15:35:52 GMT

What follows, an article from misc.kids, appears to be so close to
what I have been looking for: a clear, "unspinning," unalloyed,
unadulterated, unambiguous statement of the myth (ur-narrative)
which I believe is circulating in the plasma of the American
ethos, and which I believe to be one of the causes of the endemic
violence in our schools and streets, that I had to cross-post to
alt.postmodern for a collective deconstruction of it.  It even
illustrates the movement from narrative thought to propositional
ideology as the author explicitly draws morals from his
narrativized experience.  And finally, at the end, as a literal
postscript, there is a hedge and a bow to "reason," with the false
opposition between genuine self-defense and looking for trouble.

achaulk@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Alex Chaulk) writes:

> <1av1h4INNceu@network.ucsd.edu> <1992Oct7.164651.4587@cbfsb.cb.att.com>
> <1992Oct8.074136.7232@newstand.syr.edu>
> Sender: 
> Reply-To: achaulk@wtcd.DaytonOH.NCR.COM (Alex Chaulk)
> Followup-To: 
> Distribution: na
> Organization: WIN Management Services - Dayton, OH
> Keywords: 
> 
>     [Talk about youngster not fighting]....
>    
>     In my experiences in fighting when growing up (quite a few), there was a
> distinct difference in being non-violent vs. standing up for yourself.  I was
> never under the belief that I should go out and look for trouble.  I avoided
> it when I could.  But there were some instances where a fight could not have
> been avoided (IMHO).  What do you do when the school bully is picking on your
> twin brother?  I mean, shoving him into his locker, punching him until he
> can't feel his arm, making him scared and humiliated in front of his
> classmates?  What do you do when you own twin brother is getting the shit
> beaten out of him by some overgrown gorilla?  I say you jump in and give that
> gorilla a taste of his own medicine.  Of course being 6'3" tall, 200 lbs.
> and all of 14 years old had its advantages.
>     The moral of this adolescent diatribe is that there are just some times
> when enough is enough and you have to stand up for yourself.  Plain and
> simple.  It has nothing to do with being "non-violent" or "pacifistic" or any
> of the other words used to describe this.  You can only say "Please leave me
> alone!" so many times.  When it comes down to it, you have to rely on
> yourself, your abilities, your senses, and your strengths to guide you throug
> life.  And if this means getting in a tussle or two to retain those things I
> hold important, then I'll live with those odds.
>     
> Fow what it's worth...
> Alex J.
> Dayton, OH 
> 
> P.S.  Then there was last weekend when my friend got his lip split open by
> some rugby players trying to throw peanuts down his friend's cleavage.  I say
> that peanuts and cleavage are hardly worth getting a split lip over.  There's
> a distinct difference betweeen fighting for your honor and dignity and
> fighting because you think you're tougher than the next guy.  

In orther words "fighting back" is good, "starting it" is bad.
Isn't that the myth we see inscribed in American narratives from
the old Western movies to current coming-of-age pix?

But the first thing that comes to mind is the hisortical accuracy
of the account.  Bullies seldom pick on kids who have big
brothers.  They prefer defenseless victims.  This (presumably
fraternal twin, who is presumably _not_ 6'3'' and 200 lb) brother
either was not well known to the bully, or he may have done
something which elicited the aggression.

Alex, can we ask you for a fuller account?

--
Richard Carlson
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