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I vehemently disagree. Like the author, I've had to defend myself from a bully abusing the legal system to enrich himself. It's not about the money, it's a matt

I vehemently disagree. Like the author, I've had to defend myself from a bully abusing the legal system to enrich himself. It's not about the money, it's a matter of principle. "Throwing good money after bad." This isn't some kind of bad investment, this is a personal attack. When you get attacked, you fight back. You don't sit there and take it. Enjoyment? Are you kidding me? There's only debilitating anxiety. You have no empathy.

paulcole 10y ago
>When you get attacked, you fight back. You don't sit there and take it. Why would I fight someone who's clearly more experienced at being an asshole? What am I going to "win"? I'd rather move on with my life and not waste time and energy plotting how I'm going to fight back. Even if this guy does "win", he hasn't taught the client a lesson. A leopard doesn't change his spots. Dude's going to be awful to work with for life. All he's done is burn time, money, energy to prove a point to himself that he can't be "bullied." I know some people are assholes and will try to take advantage of me. When one does (fortunately rarely as they're not tough to spot), I cut and run. Why continue to engage?
- lazaroclapp 10y ago
  There is a fairly long school of thought in ethics that posits that it's an important thing for most people to sacrifice self-interest in the name of justice, since it deters injustice. Basically, if most people respond to frivolous lawsuits by fighting them instead of settling or accepting unjust outcomes (within feasibility, of course), then engaging on frivolous lawsuits becomes unrewarding, and even unethical people stop doing so. The same goes for other kinds of bullying behavior. Let me put it this way, if someone you know pointed a gun at you and demanded $100, forcing you to give it to them. Would you later denounce them to the police? Should the state prosecute? It is likely that both you and the police (or, society) are about to spend far more than $100 in arresting and sentencing this person. Yet, it is probably a good thing to do so nonetheless, since it is still a person that has shown themselves willing to engage in armed robbery. Don't get me wrong, if $10K are survivable but fighting the suit will bankrupt you, then you owe it to yourself and your employees to keep the bills paid first. But if you can survive either way, then clearly fighting it is the right thing to do (and, honestly, hiring a lawyer and putting an arbitration clause in future contracts would probably be a good idea, but that's beside the point).
- tylercubell 10y ago
  If you want to frame it in terms of "winning and losing", how about your self-respect and dignity? It's not about proving a point or teaching a lesson, it's about being able to sleep at night. It's about taking control of your own life and seeking your own personal justice. Let people take advantage of you and roll over -- that's your prerogative. I will go to the ends of the Earth to defend myself when confronted.
  - paulcole 10y ago
    I sleep fine. I know that I don't have complete control over my life (nobody does). I don't need to "go to the ends of the Earth" to defend myself. I'd rather just shrug it off and move on to what's next. To each his or her own I guess.

paulcole 10y ago

>When you get attacked, you fight back. You don't sit there and take it. Why would I fight someone who's clearly more experienced at being an asshole? What am I going to "win"? I'd rather move on with my life and not waste time and energy plotting how I'm going to fight back. Even if this guy does "win", he hasn't taught the client a lesson. A leopard doesn't change his spots. Dude's going to be awful to work with for life. All he's done is burn time, money, energy to prove a point to himself that he can't be "bullied." I know some people are assholes and will try to take advantage of me. When one does (fortunately rarely as they're not tough to spot), I cut and run. Why continue to engage?

lazaroclapp 10y ago
There is a fairly long school of thought in ethics that posits that it's an important thing for most people to sacrifice self-interest in the name of justice, since it deters injustice. Basically, if most people respond to frivolous lawsuits by fighting them instead of settling or accepting unjust outcomes (within feasibility, of course), then engaging on frivolous lawsuits becomes unrewarding, and even unethical people stop doing so. The same goes for other kinds of bullying behavior. Let me put it this way, if someone you know pointed a gun at you and demanded $100, forcing you to give it to them. Would you later denounce them to the police? Should the state prosecute? It is likely that both you and the police (or, society) are about to spend far more than $100 in arresting and sentencing this person. Yet, it is probably a good thing to do so nonetheless, since it is still a person that has shown themselves willing to engage in armed robbery. Don't get me wrong, if $10K are survivable but fighting the suit will bankrupt you, then you owe it to yourself and your employees to keep the bills paid first. But if you can survive either way, then clearly fighting it is the right thing to do (and, honestly, hiring a lawyer and putting an arbitration clause in future contracts would probably be a good idea, but that's beside the point).
tylercubell 10y ago
If you want to frame it in terms of "winning and losing", how about your self-respect and dignity? It's not about proving a point or teaching a lesson, it's about being able to sleep at night. It's about taking control of your own life and seeking your own personal justice. Let people take advantage of you and roll over -- that's your prerogative. I will go to the ends of the Earth to defend myself when confronted.
- paulcole 10y ago
  I sleep fine. I know that I don't have complete control over my life (nobody does). I don't need to "go to the ends of the Earth" to defend myself. I'd rather just shrug it off and move on to what's next. To each his or her own I guess.