I think we're as vulnerable as we ever were to verbal abusers. Some are more hurt by it than others. It's probably always been that way.
"Sticks and stones can break my bones...." was a great comeback, and for some it aptly described how they really felt because they had a solid sense of self-esteem. For others, it was (still) a great comeback - sure sounded good - but the words still sunk in and hurt, anyway.
I love the quote that's something like: "no one can make you feel inferior without your permission". But if your parents never taught you how special you were, or if you've heard negative messages about yourself from others consistently throughout your life, I'm sure it's a hard thing to remember and hold dear.