As in the old Charles Atlas ads, the 97-pound weakling eventually gets tired of having sand kicked in his face, heads off to the gym and becomes just as muscled as the bully.

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And while it used to require a certain set of characteristics to thrive as a bully, the internet makes it simple for almost anyone to graduate from cowering weakling to kicking virtual sand in the face of friends and strangers in no time.

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Offenders know a slap on the wrist or a sternly-raised eyebrow is the worst they face, and when the economy is buzzing again, no one wants to throw sand in the gears.

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