Bullies want you to undo yourself. Surprise them: smile, so you cancel them out, while they mock you in unison.

Riccardo Messina quote explanation

This quote provides advice on dealing with bullies and suggests a counterintuitive approach. Instead of allowing bullies to negatively impact you, the quote recommends surprising them by maintaining a positive and confident demeanor. The act of smiling, despite facing mockery, is presented as a powerful response that cancels out the negative impact of the bullying.

Here’s a breakdown of the quote:

1. “Bullies want you to undo yourself.” – This part suggests that bullies aim to undermine, intimidate, or negatively affect your self-esteem and confidence. The term “undo yourself” implies causing harm to one’s own sense of well-being.
2. “Surprise them: smile…” – This proposes a surprising and unexpected response to bullying. Instead of reacting negatively or succumbing to the bullying, the advice is to respond with a smile—a positive and confident expression.
3. “…so you cancel them out…” – The quote suggests that the act of smiling has a cancelling effect on the impact of the bullying. It implies that maintaining a positive demeanor can neutralize the negativity directed at you.
4. “…while they mock you in unison.” – This acknowledges that the bullies may continue to mock or criticize, but the emphasis is on not allowing their negativity to affect your own sense of self-worth.

The underlying message is one of empowerment and resilience. It encourages individuals to rise above the negativity of bullying by maintaining a positive attitude and not letting the actions of bullies define their self-image. The act of smiling is presented as a symbol of strength and self-assurance in the face of adversity.