Hard Men, Do they Deserve Respect?

[Jabberwocky]

This thread isnt about Black belts or kick boxers- people who have worked hard to attain their levels of scareyness, its about the bloke on the street, the stocky little bugger who wanders to and from the boozer on the housing estate who people say "Ohh watch that one, hes hard as nails, he`ll boot yer choppers in if you look at him the wrong way!"

 

I was brought up on Parson Cross, and there were quite a few "hard men" around in my youth, blokes who thought nothing of drinking 14 pints, having a brawl, then going home to give the missus a good slapping, blokes with bottle scars and tattoos on their foreheads.

As a kid I remember looking in awe at them, and maybe times have changed, maybe Ive experienced too much over the years, but when someone tells me that a certain bloke is a hard case, he doesnt look so scarey any more, maybe the hard men arent as hard as they used to be.

 

So, over to you.

What do you think of these hard cases, these men who like a scrap, who constantly stink of ale and have reputations that were forged in blood and booze...?

Do they deserve any respect? When you look at them. do you quake in fear? Or do you pity the poor pathetic bum and his family...? Do you think that hard men are a rarity these days...?

 

 

TELL ME! OR I`LL DO YA UP WIV ME DOCKERS !

[foxforcefive]

This is a great topic, my mate recently went out with a so-called "hard man" against all her friends better judgements. I couldn't stand the bloke, he was as thick as pig-s**t and thought he deserved respect because of his reputation, he treated my mate like s**t in front of his mates, and although his mates thought he was out of order, they did nothing to stop him or protect my friend because they were scared of what he might do to them. Now they are over, he keeps ringing her to threaten to "ruin her life". I honestly don't know where he got this "hard man" reputation because to me, he is just a pathetic bully.

[Mathom]

It's the little 'uns you've to watch out for, not the big 'hard men'. Take my old dad. He was five foot 3 and weighed about 9 stone when he was in the RAF but that didn't stop him putting the Warrant Officer into the washing up tray when he pushed it too far, nor did it stop him giving the barracks 'hard man' a slap when he started on my dad. Being small didn't stop me from giving the school bully a good hiding when he was picking on my mate in the dinner hall one day either - much to the delight of the dinner ladies

[Draggletail]

No, they don't deserve respect. and if it's respect based on fear it isn't respect, just fear.

If that makes sense

[Agent Orange]

They are just older versions of the school bully and deserve no respect whatsoever. They are sad, pathetic and insecure people who clearly were bypassed with intellect and the social skills needed to function in the correct manner.

 

You have to show respect to gain respect... not bully people into giving you it.

[*Wallace*]

In my experience the ones i have met have all been tossers.

[Tess]

Depends how they are labelled as hard men really. I think if i man got the label by beating up a bloke who beat up his wife or something, or protecting another person its acceptable. But if its just the lager swilling fight seekers then no they dont deserve respect for getting into fights for no reason at all!

[Mathom]

They are just older versions of the school bully and deserve no respect whatsoever. They are sad, pathetic and insecure people who clearly were bypassed with intellect and the social skills needed to function in the correct manner.

 

You have to show respect to gain respect... not bully people into giving you it.

 

Exactly. They make everyone think they're untouchable when they clearly aren't.

[discodown]

If we're talking bullying thugs then no

[Tony]

Pity comes to mind before respect.