The Havamal: A Heathen Path of Living (Part 40)

64.

Moderate at council should a man be,

Not brutal and over bearing:

Among the bold, the bully will find

Others as bold as he.

This stanza reminds us how to treat others. Some feel that the best way to get what they want is to belittle and threaten others. These bullies usually get what they want because they humiliate and threaten others who are unable to properly defend themselves and those around them don’t want to face the same treatment. But, when surrounded by their equals, these bullies don’t stand a chance because their peers are unlikely to tolerate such treatment. What’s worse for these bullies is when their weakness becomes known. Once this happens then people will gladly show up to gang up on the bully and tear them down just as the bully tore others down. The bully will find himself friendless for a long time as people will abandon him to avoid becoming targets of retribution as well.

As I am writing this book, this stanza is playing itself out in New Jersey politics. Governor Chris Christie has been known as a bully throughout his state. There are many videos of the governor telling people to shut up, calling reporters stupid, and generally being rude to average people who ask him questions that he does not like. There are some who liked his style and felt that his brash tone showed strength and a lack of tolerance for ‘politics as usual’. But, then the allegations came out that members of his staff used their position to enact retribution against other politicians that had slighted them. Once this became known, other politicians came out to report other ways in which the governor’s office had abused it power, even going as far as to allege federal crimes. Few members of the governor’s political party have come out in support of him. In fact, many members of his party are supporting the investigations against him because they do not want to be seen supporting him. As I write this, I do not know how the story will play out, but the Wanderer suggests that this bully has found others as bold as he.

(Update:  It was a long time ago that I wrote this post.  But since this time, Chris Christie ran for president and lost badly.  He was not able to stand up to Trump's style which was just as bombastic as Christie's.  There was even a meme going around of how humbled and tame Christie seemed in the presence of Trump.  Today, he has been relegated to a news correspondent and has no real power at all.)