Timothy Zahn said this quote

“ All opponents are not necessarily enemies. But both enemies and opponents carry certain characteristics in common. Both perceive their opposite as an obstacle, or an opportunity, or a threat. Sometimes the threat is personal; other times it is a perceived violation of standards or accepted norms of society.In modest form, the opponent's attacks are verbal. The warrior must choose which of those to stand against and which to ignore.Often that decision is taken from his hands by others. In those cases, lack of discipline may dissuade the opponent from further attacks. More often, though, the opponent finds himself encouraged to continue or intensify the attacks.It is when the attacks become physical that the warrior must take the most dangerous of choices. ”