Is Bullying Necessary?
I grew up in the heyday of the anti-bullying craze. Posters about lined the walls of my school, the guidance counselor came in once a week to lecture us about cyberbullying, and teachers preached about the dangers of it. And it makes sense, not wanting kids to get bullied. But I look at how my generation has turned out and I'm starting to think we missed out on something important developmentally.
I was a super annoying kid. I'd constantly be aggravating, loud, ADHD, and just all around awful. I got bullied for being such a spaz (despite the anti-bullying culture around me) when I was in elementary school... and surprisingly it worked. I changed my behavior to avoid getting bullied and it actually made me more popular (not super popular but more well liked).
That begs the question: is bullying a necessary part of a child's development, or is it something that should be done away with? Is it something that is needed to help us better ourselves or is it just unneeded trauma? Share your thoughts, Datalounge. Discuss.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | August 22, 2020 11:31 PM
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It depends on the reasons why people are bullied. I worked with an Asian American woman years ago who was bullied due to her race and she said has never been able to get over it.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | August 22, 2020 11:12 PM
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No. Unfortunately, it does give a kid tools to use when running into jerks as an adult. And it can create a thick skin for some who are bullied.
But there's no use for bullying, adult jerks, or anything adjacent.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | August 22, 2020 11:12 PM
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It depends on the reasons why people are bullied. I worked with an Asian American woman years ago who was bullied due to her race and she said has never been able to get over it.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | August 22, 2020 11:12 PM
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for every one kid that grows a thick skin from bullying, ten probably grow up neurotic, fearful, and bitter. There’s no way to it’s necessary for character development.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | August 22, 2020 11:17 PM
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No it is not. All it produces are damaged and/or angry people.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | August 22, 2020 11:24 PM
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I was much like you OP, and I got bullied. I like to think it made me a stronger person, but I agree that the majority of it is not necessary. Especially some of the more dramatic aspects of it that can quickly spiral out-of-control. (like damaging reputations, physical fights, cyber bullying).
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | August 22, 2020 11:30 PM
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^And you shouldn't be bullied based on things like race, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | August 22, 2020 11:31 PM
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What is necessary is to give bully victims the means to deal with the trauma so it will not negatively affect their future and joy of living.
Without the bullies' power to ruin their victims' lives they have no power and bullies will have to face the futility of their own actions that don't lead to the desired result: Feeling better about themselves by making others feel small.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | August 22, 2020 11:31 PM
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