Ok. First I want to preface this with some words of warning. This is about bullying. And it's like abortion and your fave sports team. It can get heated. Mainly because there will be 3 general types of people who will reply. Those who have been bullied, those who have been the bullies and those who have no real experiences with the topic at hand. Please try and remember that when replying. Not everyone knows or understands or agrees with your view.
So I was reading this typical story on bullying. The gist is that a few girls pretended to be friends with a boy who has autism. They bullied him into doing just some of the following:
First gut reaction is to blame the girls and place the victim tag on the boy. This isn't what I want to discuss. I want to discuss what's mentioned later in the piece.
So it could be that Michael was partly able to understand some bad judgement. Now this is a slippery slope from let's say..blaming victims. I don't want to do that. What I want to do is discuss what part a person who is bullied plays. When some are bullied into a dumb act, what part of the decision do they take responsibility for? I understand the need to fit in, the need to want friends, hey, the need to just be...cool. But there is a price to pay for those decisions. When do we put some of that on the person doing the act they were pushed in to? I understand we must protect the weaker humans of the earth. I understand we have compassion. But...I also respect people who are strong, brave and able to stand up for themselves. And I'll be very honest here. Even though I do reach my hand out to help others who are deemed weaker in one aspect to me *while they are stronger in others* I do end up giving them a bit of tough love advice in the end. Because in all honesty, we cannot control others in the world. We must control ourselves. And how we do so will affect how others treat us. Everyone will step on a doormat. Because that's what it is. A doormat. No one steps on a bomb with a sign that says I'm a bomb.
This will come off as a very not nice opinion. But it's mine. And I'm strong enough to say it. And yes, I've been bullied when I was weak. And when I look back there is nothing I could have changed...except my own actions and reactions. I don't live the other person's life. I only live mine. It's not a matter of blaming for me. That focuses on another person. Something we cannot ever control. It's a matter of self responsibility. That's the only thing I can control.
What say you?
So I was reading this typical story on bullying. The gist is that a few girls pretended to be friends with a boy who has autism. They bullied him into doing just some of the following:
First gut reaction is to blame the girls and place the victim tag on the boy. This isn't what I want to discuss. I want to discuss what's mentioned later in the piece.
So it could be that Michael was partly able to understand some bad judgement. Now this is a slippery slope from let's say..blaming victims. I don't want to do that. What I want to do is discuss what part a person who is bullied plays. When some are bullied into a dumb act, what part of the decision do they take responsibility for? I understand the need to fit in, the need to want friends, hey, the need to just be...cool. But there is a price to pay for those decisions. When do we put some of that on the person doing the act they were pushed in to? I understand we must protect the weaker humans of the earth. I understand we have compassion. But...I also respect people who are strong, brave and able to stand up for themselves. And I'll be very honest here. Even though I do reach my hand out to help others who are deemed weaker in one aspect to me *while they are stronger in others* I do end up giving them a bit of tough love advice in the end. Because in all honesty, we cannot control others in the world. We must control ourselves. And how we do so will affect how others treat us. Everyone will step on a doormat. Because that's what it is. A doormat. No one steps on a bomb with a sign that says I'm a bomb.
This will come off as a very not nice opinion. But it's mine. And I'm strong enough to say it. And yes, I've been bullied when I was weak. And when I look back there is nothing I could have changed...except my own actions and reactions. I don't live the other person's life. I only live mine. It's not a matter of blaming for me. That focuses on another person. Something we cannot ever control. It's a matter of self responsibility. That's the only thing I can control.
What say you?
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