I understand. If I had kids, and one killed him/herself because of being bullied, I'm not sure I'd be rational, and could possibly hurt someone seriously. As it is, someone screws with a friend, and they will live to regret it. (I've pointed out before that,
You may think bullying has changed, but it really hasn't. It reaches the newer generations by more advanced methods, like Facebook, school websites, etc. I really felt for that Princeton student, who hadn't come out yet, and could not face others thinking about what he did in bed. I get it.
But really, only the technology has changed. It still boils down to one bully, surrounded by lemmings, because for the most part, when action is taken against the bully, their cohorts suffer, too.
The answer, though, is not putting restrictions on the bullies. Deny it all you want, but American culture reveals bullies, and culture before ours. It is if very much like LBJ "whippiing it out," and proudly shouting, "You think Ho Chi Min's got this?"
What makes a good stock analyst or broker? How about hockey players? Or, for that matter, doctors and lawyers. the latter succeeds through arrogance, as well as hiding resource materials from the library, etc. There's a fine line between arrogance and bullying.
In general in America, who "wins?" Many times bullies do.
So please, you can waste your time with a PTA meeting, or your local Board of Education, and if you get some kind of punishment for bullies, well, BULLY FOR YOU.
But don't tell yourself you are truly protecting your children, They are going to meet bullies at work, in the street, girlfriends, boyfriends, their husbands and wives. It is a fact of life, and without being totally aware of it, WE CONDONE IT. WHOEVER HAS THE MOST TOYS WINS? Do you look up to the "Masters of the Universe?" Seriously. You are in denial and blind if you think American culture doesn't revere bullies. In fact, there's only one type of person we look up to other than the bully:
THE PERSON WHO STANDS UP TO THE BULLY
You may think bullying has changed, but it really hasn't. It reaches the newer generations by more advanced methods, like Facebook, school websites, etc. I really felt for that Princeton student, who hadn't come out yet, and could not face others thinking about what he did in bed. I get it.
But really, only the technology has changed. It still boils down to one bully, surrounded by lemmings, because for the most part, when action is taken against the bully, their cohorts suffer, too.
The answer, though, is not putting restrictions on the bullies. Deny it all you want, but American culture reveals bullies, and culture before ours. It is if very much like LBJ "whippiing it out," and proudly shouting, "You think Ho Chi Min's got this?"
What makes a good stock analyst or broker? How about hockey players? Or, for that matter, doctors and lawyers. the latter succeeds through arrogance, as well as hiding resource materials from the library, etc. There's a fine line between arrogance and bullying.
In general in America, who "wins?" Many times bullies do.
So please, you can waste your time with a PTA meeting, or your local Board of Education, and if you get some kind of punishment for bullies, well, BULLY FOR YOU.
But don't tell yourself you are truly protecting your children, They are going to meet bullies at work, in the street, girlfriends, boyfriends, their husbands and wives. It is a fact of life, and without being totally aware of it, WE CONDONE IT. WHOEVER HAS THE MOST TOYS WINS? Do you look up to the "Masters of the Universe?" Seriously. You are in denial and blind if you think American culture doesn't revere bullies. In fact, there's only one type of person we look up to other than the bully:
THE PERSON WHO STANDS UP TO THE BULLY
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2 comments:
Very true Linda but unfortunately this culture of condoning bullying isn’t just an American one but a global one. With the popularity of the internet and social networking sites in particular people who have never even met before or been in each other’s countries before can fall victim to bullying by the other it’s a tragic side effect of a global communication society that instead of using these technological advances to better our relationships with the world people use it to spread hate and suffering for their own sick enjoyment and to impress their friends. Far too often I’ve seen media reports of video clips of schoolyard bullying being posted online and having 5 star ratings and crude messages of endorsement attached by others that the only thing I now find shocking about them is my lack of shock at all as I like most people have become so numb to it due it’s epic scale.
Andrew, I couldn't agree with you more. There are other things to say on this topic, but I was hoping for the reaction to bring that up. It is a global issue, and History is full of examples of imperialism, slavery, even heavy-duty peer pressure. Maybe it's b/c I grew up in NYC, and have an older brother, but I learned to protect myself physically, and the minute someone tries to mess with me, do something then. It has to be immediate; otherwise, the bully & company will keep trying to get you to react when you are your weakest. That's why this head injury gave me PTSD--no one in my life, in New York, or Boston, or any other place in the world, has ever successfully jumped me. When I finish "my pain story," I'll explain the steps I took to avoid it, b/c I heard him coming. I just wasn't fast enough.
Another part of this issue is whether we coddle our children to long. Maybe someone has something to say about it. Hope you are well, Housebound (your badge is below.) From Confined to Bed. or, on my pain blog, My Right Foot!
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