There will always be people who are soft inside, and react with personal hurt when others deride them. And there will always be people who like to deride other people. You can't stop it from hurting, no matter how many times others tell you to just ignore what they say, or to tell yourself that they were probably just having a bad day themselves. The secret is to get through the pain as fast as you can, and without any scars.

As you can see by my name, I am an idealist. I'm not naive enough to believe that the world will ever be a perfect place, but I do believe it's a noble thing to strive for. And it's the people with soft feelings inside who contribute more to this than anyone else does. I admire you for "being putty inside." It may not always be very easy for you, but it's what the world needs. All the time people tell me that I'm too much of a pushover, and I take too long to get mad. I don't care if that's what they think. I don't HATE anyone on this planet, and I hope I never do. You just go on being you, and if a group of people get their rocks off by chasing 'easy prey' then just move on to another group! Sending you lots of support and respect. Good luck and best wishes to you, Janie!

Idealist