Dear Jack:
They do not cover their tracks that well, it is possible to SEE them, those “man up” people. If you don’t see their BS, it is only because you didn’t develop that sight yet. When people intimidated me (in my adulthood), it is not their strength or greatness that in reality intimidated me, it was my weakness, my fear, my lack of sight that made the intimidation possible.
Regarding being done by in your youth: those who hurt you are to blame AND you are the one responsible for healing from injuries caused by them.
The machismo people you are referring to, when they call someone a whiner, it is a bullying technique. They are not to be admired for their bullying but exposed for who they are, bullies.
anita