Note: I'm not looking to discuss bullying against specific groups in this thread. Instead, I'd like to stick to the larger issues that transcend specific cases. Does bullying on the whole yield a social benefit? Or is it harmful, playing a role in creating social ills? And the natural follow-up: Is it something we should encourage, or something we should combat? And the broader issue: Which do we value more: conforming with social norms, or individual freedom & autonomy? Is there a middle ground that can support both (enforcing social norms to prevent harm, while allowing harmless non-conformity)? Are bullying and violence separate issues, or do they go hand in hand? At what point does bullying escalate to a point where it should not be tolerated? Last question: Do you accept bullying as a social norm? Or do you think that while it's natural, normal human behavior that there should be limits? Define those limits, please.
I say Bulling is very beneficial to all of us who are Normal. Keeps the Strong, Healthy, Decent, and Normal society on top. And keeps the Weak, Sick, Useless, Un-normal.......in check. It's Very Beneficial.
Bullying is an evolutionary result of the species. The ape that bullies the others in the herd seems to survive better and also looks sexier for the females for the same reason. Hormonally, the ape develops elevated testosterone levels after winning the fight and this gears him up for sex. Interestingly, the looser's testoterone level reduces after the fight. In the human situation though, we have a society where individually pushing others to the edge of survival is negatively viewed. As a result we build prisons, that then tests the "skills" of even the biggest bully. Historically, natural bullies prefered army status where bullying the opponents' civilians was accepted and required.
Bullying's not going anywhere. There's nothing anyone can do to eradicate it- it's part of human nature, and it's here to stay. I think part of the problem is today's generation is much too...well, wimpy. Years ago, if one kid punched another, there would be a fight. Nowadays, the more common outcome is the other kid runs to tattle on the bully. Not that fighting is a good thing, but I wish some kids wouldn't just take all the insults and injuries instead of actually doing something about it. I'm not making excuses for the bullies, though. Blame the parents- too many of them want to be best friends with their kids instead of actual parents, and then the kids end up spoiled, lazy, unsuccessful and ignorant. Abusive parents also inspire violence in their children as well by making them harm others in an effort to build their own self-esteem or feel powerful. It's harder to escape nowadays, partially because of the internet, social networking, cell phones, etc. Bullying really seems to have gotten worse. Bullying is natural, but not necessarily a good or bad thing. I know a few people who can say their experiences with bullies made them stronger, or pushed them further. At the same time, I know people who have been completely traumatized by it. It's what you make of it- it's up to individuals to determine whether their experiences have been beneficial or harmful.
Which people with the mental illness are you refering too.? The Retarded or the Homosexuals with squirrels in their heads.?
Actually apes don't have the change of testosterone levels after a fight, only humans do (link). Let's take a closer look at competition from a biological standpoint. In a competitive society, a few high status individuals control the majority of resources which means during time of famine, they will thrive and produce progeny while the individuals with low status will die out. In a cooperative society, resources are shared more or less equally which means in times of famine, everyone has an equal change of survival. This ends up being a gamble. As long as the famine is not too severe, cooperation ends up being more successful than competition since more individuals will survive, however in cases of extreme famine there is a much higher chance that all the individuals will die. This is probably the reason why we see many third world countries with warlords and dictators and why we see many industrialized countries with democracies. Of course, as los2rec pointed out, competitive individuals need an outlet when society is more cooperative. However, there are two other competitive outlets besides than the military and these are actually more popular. They are sports and business.
If it's addressed appropriately, it can be one of the most important and beneficial life lessons you can ever learn about how to stand up for yourself. But without the proper mentors to help guide you through it, it can be extremely traumatic and lay a crooked foundation that will warp you for the rest of your life. In short, bullying itself is neither good nor bad. It's how it is dealt with that's important.
God forgive me, but the racist homophobic bigot makes me roll about laughing. Bullying is harmful. In adulthood it continues to be harmful and the effects on human health are catastrophic. I watched the office bully manage a staff of 3 people who were all taken out in ambulances. They had underlying health issues which were well under control in a normal office environment and they were all highly skilled effective workers, but put under stress by that clown the medical conditions flared up and came to the fore. One had a cerebral hemorrhage while sitting in the office, really serious and threatened her life. Another (young guy of 22) had a stomach ulcer which erupted and required surgery, the last had a condition she'd been nursing for a couple of years and she was hospitalised for 6 months. He then gave two of my friends a nervous breakdown and there wasn't a day when you didn't meet a woman in the ladies crying because of him. One of the guys was fired for threatening to beat him up. 3 did beat him up at the Christmas party. Anyway, it wasn't good for the team. I don't think it is good to encourage such people. They should be shunned at best.
He's not the topic of the thread. Anyway, it's a hypothetical question raising an interesting issue. It's debated again and again here, as a certain political philosophy may support a more bullying mentality and the other supports... the weak and disadvantaged in society rather than pretending they don't exist or are not part of society.
Perhaps if those questions are one-sided. My posting of the question simply distills arguments that have been put forth on the issue. It doesn't reflect a personal position on the matter.
I believe this poster just stated he likes getting his butt cheecks super-glued together... OR getting his hand stuck in warm water and peeing on himself... OR being kicked in the sack to see if he's wearing a cup... Wow... Dixiehunter... Do you live on a street or a route?
That has been my observation, as well. It's not 100% correlation, but seems pretty high. I've noticed that few people go to the extreme of suggesting we encourage bullying, though. This tells me that the net effects are probably not generally positive. Any 'benefit' is not a goal that bullying is attempting to achieve, but an indirect effect. Bullying is done for personal gain; it is not motivated by altruistic principles. So the natural question is, should it be discouraged? But instead of support, what I'm seeing is apathy and resignation to the fact that complete elimination of bullying probably isn't a realistic goal. And I don't think complete elimination is the goal of efforts to combat it. More a matter of trying to reduce frequency and severity.
I reside in a very rural country style lifestyle. When I was a young man, all of my friends and I growing up a very tough rugged, outdoor sportsman, hard working lifestyle. Amongst us boys we all fought, and kicked each other backsides. Just to keep us mean. City folk call it bulling......Now if there was a cup cake in the school. Which was rare. And I mean RARE. We all would just make a man out of him. With the same technique use on ourselves by ourselves. And buy-golly within a few months time that sweat cake was now converted and enjoying eat'in crawdad, drinking bear, and hunt'in wild bear. And on weekend nights hunt'in wild kitty-cat. AWESOME
There is no social benifit. It is somthing tat will continue. There is no way to control it. Simple peole conform to social norms, and there is middle ground for common sense. Bullying and violence are one of the same, and it depends who is doing the bullying. It is natural behavior that has it's limitations. We as adults who have witnessed it can utimaly say that bullying runs it course throughout life. We have seen the charater of the bully, and the victim. Both are natural developed characters of their psychosocail makeup. Such as their genetics, environment, and training as well as their experience in being either the bully or victim. The course of both their development and experience as one or the other, has similar outcomes, as we as adults have witnessed. The bullies often turn out to be losers as adults who cling on to the glory days of when they were in the prime of thier life (or so they think), as children. The victims often turn out more successfull and are often in dominant positions over the former bully as adults. There is middle ground, and those who do not involved in bullying can go one way or the other, but most are more likely to be the conformers who just follow along with rules and simple activities of daily living, and avoid all drama if given a choice. These are all part of normal human behavior which can be changed just as smoking behavior was changed in the USA. However, to what financial cost will you pay for the policy changes to stop bullying? And what will happen to the bully and the victim? wil they become conformers who avoid drama?
For me, it was beneficial. It taught me to deal with bullies in the workplace. It taught me to recognize bullies like President Obama and taught me how to deal with them. I worked with a lot of sheltered flowers who never learned to deal with bullies. Also, dealing with bullies does not usually require fighting.
So basically you are a Nazi? Or better yet a Communist? You want people to conform to your way of thinking since you are unable to accept others who think differently…? Is this correct? You are just a brainwashed drone. You are no different than everyone else. You are a copy of someone who is ignorant and narrow minded and have been photocopied into that person. NOW - you do it to others because that’s what you do in your rural country lifestyle. Not try to understand them for who they are, but bully people into being what you want them to be. So… God help your kids and family I only am using this as an example and would never wish this on anyone… If your kids move to – I don’t know… Some place where there is Blacks or Mexicans or Asian gangsters – you would want your kids coming home talking, walking, acting like them – might even taking one for a wife or husband because that’s what you do - right? RIGHT?!?! These gangsters think like you and can’t have any hick walking around so they convert them into what they are… You believe that’s okay… By bullying… Am I right – you would want this? You would want others to do this to you kin? Turn them into whatever they wanted too? You would want that? That would be AWESOME!!! You first born son laying down some pipe on an illegal immigrant Mexican or a luscious lipped black woman? That would be awesome – bringing her home to the family reunion? Meeting your moms and pops? Because some idiot who thinks like you believes that they must “bully” someone to be like them… Is this right? You think that’s okay? I don’t expect you to post back, because I believe you see that IT’S NOT OKAY!!!! It’s absolutely retarded to think that way… to act that way… to do others that way… You don’t want that on your kin, but you feel that you can do what gangbangers and communist do. You do not agree with those groups, but treat others like they do! Just like they bully people into doing what they want – you do EXACTLY what they do and think it’s Kool Aid, in fact – you post it on the internet about how Barefoot Tennessee beats up people to be hicks!! Nice… That’s just really nice… So, you obviously have no problems with black/Asians/mexicans bullying your female kin into having group sex with them either right…? When I mean group – I mean all of them and one of your kin… You don’t care and think that’s healthy… Do you understand now? Can you open your eyes… Do you see what you’re doing and giving people a thumbs up to do to others? Do you really think it’s okay to bully? Really… Do you?
Listen Up The town were I reside has No Crime, and no people of dimented un-normal lifestyle....Maybe because due to the fact our Township society was brought up through the years with being normal and tuff, both and mind and body. Decent God Fearing Folk, that through the years kept it that way. So, you can believe all the simple mind, annoying, made-up Liberal crap you want. But to me bulling is just a way of normal lifestyle.
Normal lifestyle is you're a drone!!! Why don't you move to where people bully that are NOT from Tennessee - like New Jersey!!! All that bullying only made you a sheep to comply with what others want!!! You are nothing more than a photocopy of everyone else... a follower... I am no Liberal son - I am a U. S. Marine. Remember that while you bully people who live here who have the FREEDOM to be whatever they want, but YOU have taken it upon yourself to STRIP them from that Freedom and have them live in FEAR like the Communist you are!! Sadam Hussien did the EXACT same thing as you're doing... Did you know that? Adolf Hilter... Heard of him? Normal to you is being what someone else wants you to be - you are a soulless copy of your community that has brainwashed you so you cannot survive outside of your own community! Thus, you will eat, sleep, vote the way they want you too. Like your parents, like your parents parents... all brainwashed!!! I see it in the Marines every day - and we break them from that country narrow-minded thinking... You are just a product of a machine and you don't even know it. A sheep and don't even know it... You don't even know who you really are, and you don't even know it... I will give you this to help you out. A community doesn't make you who you are. God does.... and you believe that right... In God? So, why are they trying to change you from what God made you? You should, especially in this country, be free to do whatever God wants and wills you to do, but you believe that some idiot with his buddies get to determine your fate by bullying... You say you're God fearing, but you are more bully fearing than God, because you do what THEY say instead of what God says... Because if you were with God, per the Bible, you would NOT be like all the rest of the drones nor be bullying people into believe your way of thinking since God gave ALL OF US - FREE WILL!!!! And you think you can just take that away from people... So, are you with God or are you NOT with God? Do you Bully or do you let people have their God given free will and what I fought for... their freedom? Or are you just a drone zombie follower that your community created with bullying?
