Cyberbullying

[Beev]

Yep. I was incredibly fortunate to have been in a school where very little bullying, at least that I know of, took place. But I've been close to a number of situations in recent years that have really opened my eyes to what it does to a person. Junior high and high school are arguably the most crucial developmental years in a person's life, and social interactions are a cornerstone to that development, and anyone who's quick to dismiss the effects of being relentlessly bullied through those years is a fucking retard.

I'm a gamer nerd who grew up in a town with zero other gamers. I was always picked last and I was always made fun of. It is NOT hard to ignore. If it starts to get physical then simply turn them in, if nothing is resolved, go to the police. No, that obviously won't work for every situation.

The biggest step today's stupid children need to take is to learn to NOT GIVE A SHIT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. It flat out doesn't matter if the popular kids tell everyone you're a huge loser. ChAoTiCpInOy posted pretty much what I'm talking about really: The government does NOT need to intervene in crap like this. What a god damn waste of money and other resources...

 

[bfdd]

Because even if you turn off the computer, you still know they're talking about you

waaah words, someone said something mean about me waaah it hurts, fucking pussies. seriously, sticks and stones. they are fucking words you don't let what idiots say about you unless it's true and even then that shit is optional. and truth can't even be called bullying. if you're mom is fat and i say your mom is fat, that's fucking truth. don't like it? tell your mom to stop being such a fat fucking pig. now i'm not defending bullies, they're big pieces of shit, i do not like them, but seriously so many vaginas refuse to stand up for themselves and allow WORDS, FUCKING WORDS, to "hurt" them. This is feminist bullshit pussifying society. Yin and Yang, but noooo the Westerners are idiot extremists who can't just have a little of a good thing, they have to blow everything out of proportion.

 

[Stuxnet]

I'm a gamer nerd who grew up in a town with zero other gamers. I was always picked last and I was always made fun of. It is NOT hard to ignore. If it starts to get physical then simply turn them in, if nothing is resolved, go to the police. No, that obviously won't work for every situation.

The biggest step today's stupid children need to take is to learn to NOT GIVE A SHIT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. It flat out doesn't matter if the popular kids tell everyone you're a huge loser. ChAoTiCpInOy posted pretty much what I'm talking about really: The government does NOT need to intervene in crap like this. What a god damn waste of money and other resources...

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not advocating government intervention. You can't legislate a problem like this away. This is a community-level issue that starts with giving control in the schools back to the teachers, and parents not being afraid to be parents.

As for the actual effects of bullying and its seriousness, I'm sorry for your personal experience, but it's anecdotal at best (and social media wasn't the force it is today). Find me one licensed psychologist who claims the problem is overstated, and I'll relent in the spirit of "more info needed."

 

[sixone]

Another (painfully obvious) issue is parents. Parents now, more than ever, just want to be their kids' friends or see parenting as a side job that just interferes with date night and their time at the gym. Few care to watch over what their kids are doing online, let alone take any responsibility for what their kids do in and out of school.

BINGO. And then the little shits grow up thinking that it's okay to abuse the people around them.

 

[Beev]

I agree with the last two posts, and I think I may have implied in my OP that I thought no action whatsoever was needed. I absolutely think parents need to do a better job of parenting. That's probably the biggest problem today as a whole.

 

[Wyndru]

Cyberbullying usually escalates into physical bullying. Most of the fights in our school start on facebook.

 

[sixone]

I agree with the last two posts, and I think I may have implied in my OP that I thought no action whatsoever was needed. I absolutely think parents need to do a better job of parenting. That's probably the biggest problem today as a whole.

But you can't parent other people's kids. Where do you go, when the bully's parents aren't doing their job?

 

[OverVolt]

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm not advocating government intervention. You can't legislate a problem like this away. This is a community-level issue that starts with giving control in the schools back to the teachers, and parents not being afraid to be parents.

As for the actual effects of bullying and its seriousness, I'm sorry for your personal experience, but it's anecdotal at best (and social media wasn't the force it is today). Find me one licensed psychologist who claims the problem is overstated, and I'll relent in the spirit of "more info needed."

Psychologist lol, you are doing pretty good at proving his point.

 

[bfdd]

I agree with the last two posts, and I think I may have implied in my OP that I thought no action whatsoever was needed. I absolutely think parents need to do a better job of parenting. That's probably the biggest problem today as a whole.

agreed. it actually makes me want to have a kid so i can do better than those other fucks. show them it's not all that goddamn hard, it just takes a little effort. sadly to few people care to put any effort into anything anymore, everyone just expects shit to be taken care of for them. lame ass weaklings.

 

[Stuxnet]

show them it's not all that goddamn hard, it just takes a little effort.

I wouldn't even call it that. Raising kids to be responsible, accountable, and compassionate is pretty easy, but it assumes you actually enjoy your kids' company. A shocking number of adults will tell you they adore their kids, but don't really want to spend time with them. Another group, also shockingly large, view life as us (them and their kids) versus the whole goddamn planet, and will back little Johnnie 110% when he levels a kid for standing up for himself.

 

[ChAoTiCpInOy]

The government doesn't need to intervene, but I do believe too much is tolerated from kids in schools these days, which itself is traceable back to the fact that teachers have been stripped of any actionable authority. Hell, fights break out in hallways and only but the bravest of teachers dare to get involved for fear of getting fired or retaliated against.

Another (painfully obvious) issue is parents. Parents now, more than ever, just want to be their kids' friends or see parenting as a side job that just interferes with date night and their time at the gym. Few care to watch over what their kids are doing online, let alone take any responsibility for what their kids do in and out of school.

I meant that we've turned into a bunch of wusses that complain that they need government to intervene when really they don't. Sorry I wasn't clear.

 

[Stuxnet]

Psychologist lol, you are doing pretty good at proving his point.

Meh. I was raised to believe it was the responsibility of those with strength and authority to protect the weak and unempowered... but then again I'm not the progeny of a predatory asshole.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Not before than taking care of the bullying that's gone on for decades. It's caused plenty of problems on its own, yet cyberbullying is more important to take care of? I don't think so.

Same people who would likely be bullies anyway simply have another avenue by which to bully their peers. I don't really consider "classic" bullying and cyberbullying as separate issues.

 

[Capt Caveman]

I meant that we've turned into a bunch of wusses that complain that they need government to intervene when really they don't. Sorry I wasn't clear.

Here in MA, we had a case where the school/town did nothing about it leading to the suicide of a teenager. Based on research, the state discovered that many schools/towns had no rules/polices around bullying forcing the state to create legislation requiring every school/town to have such a policy.

 

[OVerLoRDI]

PayPal me your milk money bitch.

 

[Stuxnet]

gimme all your bitcoins

oh wait, that's real

sort of

wtf

 

[Patranus]

Its has to do with the wussification of America.

Anyways, its not like people can't *shock* turn off the computer.

Limited bullying is a good thing. It brings social outcasts in line with societal norms with teaching life lessons to both those who bully and those who are bullied.

 

[JTsyo]

Same people who would likely be bullies anyway simply have another avenue by which to bully their peers. I don't really consider "classic" bullying and cyberbullying as separate issues.

this. From the stories, I've seen. These kids have to go to school and deal with these people and then it continues when they get home on the web. Humans are social animals and especially during the MS & HS times when you are not quite established with your self image, its a tough time to have to deal with social bullies. Much easier to deal with bullies who get physical since you can report them and people take it seriously. With social bullying the kids might think people won't understand, like the OP proves. HS students are still minors and they should be assisted in their social interactions if needed. You don't need to watch each one but policies are needed that when one complains, the school admins and parents know what actions need to be taken. Those that have not gone through the bullying these kids do might not understand the full metal anguish they go through.

 

[Patranus]

this. From the stories, I've seen. These kids have to go to school and deal with these people and then it continues when they get home on the web. Humans are social animals and especially during the MS & HS times when you are not quite established with your self image, its a tough time to have to deal with social bullies. Much easier to deal with physical bullies since you can report them and people take it seriously. With social bullying the kids might think people won't understand, like the OP proves. HS students are still minors and they should be assisted in their social interactions if needed. You don't need to watch each one but policies are needed that when one complains, the school admins and parents know what actions need to be taken. Those that have not go through the bullying these kids do might not understand the full metal anguish they go through.

Then don't let your kid use the internet freely if they need to be monitored.

Here is a novel idea - PARENT YOUR KID

 

[Capt Caveman]

Then don't let your kid use the internet freely if they need to be monitored.

Here is a novel idea - PARENT YOUR KID

How do you deal with these bullies spreading false stuff about your kid online to classmates which causes your kid to be ostracized by everyone at school?

 

[Blackjack200]

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

By turning off the computer, of course!

Its has to do with the wussification of America.

Anyways, its not like people can't *shock* turn off the computer.

Limited bullying is a good thing. It brings social outcasts in line with societal norms with teaching life lessons to both those who bully and those who are bullied.

Yeah! Also, we shouldn't punish cyber criminals because the victims can *shock* turn off the computer.

 

[Stuxnet]

/\ /\ /\ /\ /\ /\

By turning off the computer, of course!



Yeah! Also, we shouldn't punish cyber criminals because the victims can *shock* turn off the computer.

Owned

 

[AreaCode707]

I'm a gamer nerd who grew up in a town with zero other gamers. I was always picked last and I was always made fun of. It is NOT hard to ignore. If it starts to get physical then simply turn them in, if nothing is resolved, go to the police. No, that obviously won't work for every situation.

The biggest step today's stupid children need to take is to learn to NOT GIVE A SHIT WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK. It flat out doesn't matter if the popular kids tell everyone you're a huge loser. ChAoTiCpInOy posted pretty much what I'm talking about really: The government does NOT need to intervene in crap like this. What a god damn waste of money and other resources...

I was similarly marginalized in school. I was always picked last and always made fun of. It wasn't hard to ignore, you're right.

What WAS hard to ignore was the isolation. At recess I had no one to play with. In class projects I wound up partnering with the teacher. After school I had no one to talk to.

We are social creatures, we generally require interaction to be fulfilled and happy. Some people, apparently yourself included, are on the far side of the social scale and do not need that as much as others do. If you are logical though, you will acknowledge that most people would have an adverse reaction to being socially isolated. It has measurable physical and psychological effects that can be reproduced in scientific studies.

Social isolation is a form of punishment. It's why you can deal with some behavioral problems with children by sending them to their room, and why the most heavy-handed discipline for prisoners is sending them to the hole. Allowing children to inflict that punishment on other children is not ok. If you are a parent you have a responsibility not to allow your child to do that, and not allow it to be done to your child. If you are a teacher you have a responsibility to prevent it as much as you can.

I'm against a government-controlled anti-bullying program because I think the government has little ability to control this, and they generally do a shitty job at controlling anything. However, to merge this argument with "it's not needed, people are wusses and should get over it," is immature and stupid.

 

[jhbball]

Wow, there's all kinds of awful people/awful parents in this thread.

 

[JTsyo]

I wonder if these cases of bullying are more likely in smaller schools. With a large population you are more likely to find people that you can befriend. When I was in HS, I don't recall anyone really being a social outcast, there was a group of everyone. Our student body was close to 2K.