Flyingmonk wrote:

I'm
thinking that since people prone to violence actually are nicer in here
because they have time to think about it before responding where as in
real life, they'd just react.

I cannot speak to that. I do know that some people do seem to reply w/o
thinking on USENET and mailing lists, so I'm not so sure that we can assume
people are always taking time to think.

However, I can related my experience having grown up raising dogs. In
general, small dogs are loud. Large dogs tend to be quiet. I've plenty of
examples where small dogs would "bully" larger dogs with their barking
while the larger dogs would "submit".

To a point. Once that point was passed, the large dog would take a quick
nip and the small dog's bullying would end. But only for a while. Then
the cycle would repeat itself.

I've seen exceptions to this too, so it's only a vague generalization.

Another possible guide is that swords rattle only in poorly fitting sheaths,
and never when drawn.

- Andrew