Hmmm, Ridiculous Reuniclus has got me thinking and self-reflecting.
(S)He has a good point. I imagine when someone tries to intimidate another with a statement claiming the other should or shouldn't be doing something, the intimidator tries to put him or herself on a 'higher' level than the other (default bullying mechanism, making the other seem smaller automatically makes the intimidator seem bigger and more important, thus ego boost). If you respond by counter-acting that (like I did), you engage in an entirely different kind of battle than I wanted to prevent, in which eventually, you are both using the default bullying mechanism to make the individual position seem more important. It certainly makes one feel better about oneself. It feels very safe for a vulnerable ego. But in the end, you're not accepting the variety of opinions, regarding your own as objectively superior (quite a contradiction, isn't it?).
I have personally been bullied my entire school carrier. I imagine if I would have tried to be reasonable with any of my tormentors and shown them vulnerability by treating them like adults, they would have certainly lynched me. However, there are several factors why this situation doesn't happen any more at the relevant ages. Once you reach a certain age and/or have built up enough natural confidence in order to be emotionally and mentally independent of the opinions of your environment, you can afford replying to them in a serious way. You can usually expect the other to respond in a similar fashion and accept the differences between you if you don't agree with each other. Even if they don't, there's no harm done and you can just part ways. Retaining your own identity through disagreeing with them internally, and accepting the existence of the variety in opinions and perceptions after having voiced those opinions and perceptions, is enough.
Objective superiority does not exist. Subjective choices do not have to correspond with those of others. Everyone is entitled to their own ideas, opinions and perceptions.
Anyway, thank you RR.