Kingdom of Knuffel

yeah I guess, but it's hard to say with peer pressure

I would do my best to nicely defend them, probably not as much as I should. I just hate confrontation!

i have zero qualms with standing up for somebody if my friends aren't being fair. they do this with me as well, since i'm also not always 100% fair.
i think it's important to be able to communicate this sort of thing with your friends and to realize that criticism and counter-arguments aren't personal attacks. actual belittling is not something that be encouraged among friends. unfairly making fun of people all the time makes yourself and your friends meaner people - quicker to judge, quicker to jump to conclusions, and quicker to interpret things in bad faith.

Yes, I probably would

Definitely I would, I am the kind of person who does not stand bullying. I lived thru it, it was miserable. I'm not gonna stand by while it happens to someone else.

Absolutely, and probably cut ties with my friend.
It's not fun. It's not ok.

yes, in conversations i do tend to defend people when i think the criticism is unjust.
i don't bother arguing with people i think are angry for the sake of being angy, but if they slander someone i know without reason, or even with a reason but they're exaggerating, i'll at least voice my opinion once and try to end the topic there

i found out quite a few times it actually resolved a conflict when I did so. the angry person got some more backstory or a perspective from the opposite side without actually confronting the person they were angry with. not always of course

Yeah I would that’s never fair or acceptable around me

i would defend them. it's just not fair.