[cgbg]

Actually an important lesson is learned by those fifth graders who are the victims of bullying:

Lesson 1: There are a lot of A--holes out there. Get used to it.

Lesson 2: Learn physical self-defense and mental toughness. You will need it.

Lesson 3: Authority figures are useless in the trenches. They talk a good game but in the end you are on your own.

Who says you don't learn good stuff at school? ;-)

[xinga]

The subjective world of one rather powerful person can infringe on the world of another person.

I’m curious; did you understand your own quote from Philip Dick? (From your profile page) Your probably a lesson 1.

[Windsong]

"Lesson 2: Learn physical self-defense and mental toughness. You will need it."

If I may add to this line...I would suggest taking martial arts to learn how to fight. NOT bodybuilding. While the two are not completely disimiliar, I have a friend who is a 3rd degree black belt in Shotokan who took on two Navy Seals once and won (both floored), and you'd never know it to look at him. Start martial arts early, and you will not HAVE to fight when you're older.