History Main / KidsareCruel

If the target of abuse could easily rip them apart if it wanted and the kids ''know'' it, then they're BullyingADragon (not to mention TooDumbToLive). And even if the target of abuse is not superpowered at the time, just wait until the BullyMagnet who UsedToBeASweetKid undergoes a StartOfDarkness, possibly as a result of the cruelty of other kids, and goes on a RoaringRampageOfRevenge, often at a point when the bullies themselves have forgotten the whole thing.

It seems fictionland is inhabited by the worst [[TheBully bullies]] in existence, always ready to mock you and steal your lunch money, no matter what happened to you, you'll always be different from AllOfTheOtherReindeer. Not even the LittlestCancerPatient gets a break. ''{{Especially|Zoidberg}}'' [[EspeciallyZoidberg not the]] LittlestCancerPatient.

It seems fictionland is inhabited by the worst [[TheBully bullies]] in existence, always ready to mock you and steal your lunch money, no matter what happened to you, you'll always be different from AllOfTheOtherReindeer. Not even the LittlestCancerPatient gets a break. ''{{Especially|Zoidberg}}'' [[EspeciallyZoidberg not the]] LittlestCancerPatient. After a while, it looks like we have a society of youthful sociopaths running around the city. Oh wait...

Note that the victim is almost always the protagonist; at least fictionland doesn't think bullies are good protagonist material... unless [[AntiHero they]] can grow a [[PermaStubble stubble]], that is. In TeenDrama, the AlphaBitch and the JerkJock represent this trope. One way to defuse the abuse is for the kid to make his aggressors [[DidYouThinkICantFeel realize what they're feeling.]] This only works if [[RousseauWasRight the mean kids are good but misguided]] though, if they aren't, [[NoHoldsBarredBeatdown then a beatdown is in order.]]

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. The PsychopathicManchild combines this trope with being a physical adult, having a 'grown-up' with a childlike cruelty to them. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it, are oblivious or, in a few extreme instances, actively encourage it out of a sadistic desire to see the victim suffer. Cruel kids are ''usually'' the main cause of the BadlyBatteredBabysitter and DreadedKidsPartyEntertainerJob, and are also part of why MiddleSchoolIsMiserable.

Of course, one of the causes of this trope in real life is explained in Developmental Psych. It's called ego-centralism and until a child reaches a certain point in their mental development they don't understand that their actions can hurt others even though they are not hurt themselves. Unfortunately, another cause of this trope in real life is that a child who fits the trope is often himself being bullied [[AbusiveParents by his parents]] [[SadistTeacher or by some other adult authority figure]].

It should be worth noting, however, that [[RousseauWasRight not all Kids are Cruel]], and there are in fact some out there who show shades of ChildrenAreInnocent territory due to naturally being in need of adult protection and maintaining a good-natured demeanor.

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. The PsychopathicManchild combines this trope with being a physical adult, having a 'grown-up' with a childlike cruelty to them. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it, are oblivious or, in a few extreme instances, actively encourage it out of a sadistic desire to see the victim suffer. Cruel kids are ''usually'' the main cause of the BadlyBatteredBabysitter and DreadedKidsPartyEntertainerJob.

-->-- '''Will Stronghold''', ''Film/SkyHigh''

->''"If life were to suddenly ‘get fair’, I doubt it would happen in high school."''

->''[Children's] ingenuity in finding unexpected ways of doing mischief to themselves and others should never be underestimated.''
-->-- '''Lord Hoffman''', ''Jolley (A.P.) v Sutton London Borough Council'' [2000] 1 W.L.R. 1082

[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dddd_1300_7138.png]]
[[caption-width-right:250:[[ThisIsGonnaSuck Here we go again...]]]]

Of course, one of the causes of this trope in real life is explained in Developmental Psych. It's called ego-centralism and until a child reaches a certain point in their mental development they don't understand that their actions can hurt others even though they are not hurt themselves. Unfortunately, another cause of this trope in real life is that a child who fits the trope is himself being bullied [[AbusiveParents by his parents]] [[SadistTeacher or by some other adult authority figure]].

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. The PsychopathicManchild combines this trope with being a physical adult, having a 'grown-up' with a childlike cruelty to them. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it, are oblivious or, in a few extreme instances, actively encourage it out of a sadistic desire to see the victim suffer. Cruel kids are one of the main causes of the BadlyBatteredBabysitter and DreadedKidsPartyEntertainerJob.

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. The PsychopathicManchild combines this trope with being a physical adult, having a 'grown-up' with a childlike cruelty to them. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it, are oblivious or, in a few extreme instances, actively encourage it out of a sadistic desire to see the victim suffer. Cruel kids are one of the main causes of the DreadedKidsPartyEntertainerJob.

See also TeensAreMonsters, BigBrotherBully, and HumansAreBastards. Contrast ChildrenAreInnocent. The RoyalBrat is a particularly disturbing take on this. The PsychopathicManchild combines this trope with being a physical adult, having a 'grown-up' with a childlike cruelty to them. AdultsAreUseless for when the majority, if not, all the bullying occurs all the time because the adults ignore it, are oblivious or, in a few extreme instances, actively encourage it out of a sadistic desire to see the victim suffer.

[[caption-width-right:250:[[ThisIsGonnaSuck Not again...]]]]

[[caption-width-right:250:[[ThisIsGonnaSuck Well shit, here we go again]]]]

!!Examples:

[[caption-width-right:250:[[ThisIsGonnaSuck Oh no, not again...]]]]

* KidsAreCruel/{{Other}}

[[folder: Web Original]]
* ''Series/CobraKai:'' Played painfully straight by Kyler and Yasmine. They have no issues with bullying others ForTheEvulz (at least until TheDogBitesBack).
** Season 3 (when TheBusCameBack for both of them) sees her all but moving on from this trope, while he continues to play it absolutely straight. Best demonstrated in how each of them deals with Demetri (GiveGeeksAChance versus KickThemWhileTheyAreDown).
* Catbug from ''WebAnimation/BravestWarriors'' is naive and child-like. As a result, he doesn't quite understand right and wrong. Due to this, episodes have dealt with him being both a kleptomaniac and a murderer.
** The New Miami City Hackers were a group of kids who teased Danny relentlessly as a kid, inventing a remote that made him throw up on command.
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