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I have found that a number of people love to post threats and abuse on the internet whenever they feel even vaguely offended. Too often I have received messages like, "If I met you IRL, I would kick your ass..."
You know what I'm talking about. If you've spent any amount of time on the net, you'll notice that a lot of people can't handle the idea that not everyone on Earth shares their viewpoints.
To those who make such vociferous posts, I offer this humble observation. If you are the sort to threaten people with a good ass-kicking, statistically speaking you've probably never kicked anyone's ass.
At the wise old age of 23, I have learned that most people who threaten me face to face with physical violence *back down* when I eagerly agree to fight with them. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule and occasionally you do find people who actually *do* want to fight.
Extrapolating from Cleckley's ("The Mask of Sanity") theory that five percent of the population is psychopathic, I will say that there is a one in twenty chance that someone who threatens you with casual violence is actually willing to carry out his threats. The average I.Q. of a violent psychopath is usually under a 100, (i.e. rather low) and thus their verbiage will have a certain unmistakeable patina to it. To put it simply, they will come across as very stupid.
(Note: High functioning psychopaths have intelligence scores ranging from 110 - 150, but they're not predisposed to violence.)
Thus, be leery around those really stupid, viscious people that threaten you. Try to defuse the situation and get away from them. All other threats, you can parry by reciprocating with a counter-threat of violence.
Actually, I'm a borderline psychopath. I say this quite openly because no one really believes me. People always assume that I'm joking because I tend to be high- functioning, polite and well-groomed. Heh. The idea of physical violence gives me a hardon. So, if you *really* want to fight, *really really* want to fight, then send me some e-mail and I'll give you my IRL addy. Then we can get together and give each other a knuckle massage or whatever.
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