Art or skill is an interesting way to look at it. There are a couple somewhat opposing social skills that seem to make like easier, or more bearable, for those

Art or skill is an interesting way to look at it. There are a couple somewhat opposing social skills that seem to make like easier, or more bearable, for those who possess them. One is the ability to schmooze people, or even just remember their names and faces, easily. The other is what you describe: not taking shit from others. But in the more artful way you described. I still think being a schmoozer a more useful superpower. But being able to signal that pushing you will be more trouble than it's worth seems to help avoid trouble. I often think about the violent climax of Do the Right Thing. There's the melee in the pizza parlor which ends with the police killing Radio Raheem. Then, as things seem to be calming down, Spike Lee's character, who works at the parlor, picks up a trash can and throws it through the parlor's window. It leads to a full-scale riot. The first time I watched the film, I was a bit puzzled by his action and even put off by it. Now I feel like it is the right thing to do. For the reason you described here: not as an act, not even as an act of catharsis which is how I expect it often gets read. But as a communication device. As an argument on behalf of violent resistance.