If you learn nothing else in life learn this, if you enter into an ego war – retorting… – a. you have fallen into the subconscious desire (for the person who is taunting, desires that you too… – for subconsciously we are only mean if we have been victimized, and we are jealous that others aren’t… – this is why bullies pick on nice people, antisemites against Jews, Arabs against Americans, etc.) b. your ego is infinitely greater by its capacity to be bigger