How about bullying?
Bullying consists of three basic types of abuse – emotional, verbal and physical. It involves repeated acts over time attempting to create or enforce one person's (or group's) power over another person (or group), thus an "imbalance of power". The "imbalance of power" may be social or physical power.
–Wikipedia
1. Have you ever seen a bullying happened? How was the situation then? Why does a bullying take place? What are the reasons behind?
2. If someone (like your friend or classmate) is bullied, what will you do? keep silent or take action? Why?
Deadline: 4/11
Recently, more and more news about bullying are reported because President Ma Ying-jeou commences focusing on this specific issue. Especially, school bullying is the most commonly seen form of bullying. During my school time, I have seen many bullying incidents happening around me because I was once in a so-called low-level class. Here I would like to talk about two different types of bullying. Though the two experiences seem ordinary, I saw them with my own eyes.
回覆刪除The first type is physical bullying which is always occurred by cockerels. When I studied in junior high, there was one boy in our class who was constantly beaten up by a gang of boys from our own class or from other classes. When asking about why they bit him, those gang boys answered, "He is nauseating." What a childish reason! Then I find that boys at this age tend to show their power through violence. Maybe they also want to prove that they cannot be restrained; however, the truth is that they always flee ignominiously when teachers come. For a deeper reason, I think family is a key factor. Those perpetrators mostly come from single parent families; the parent may be busy working, hence they can't pay too much attention on children. In order to derive attention, bullies think that "I bully, therefore I am."
And the second type, I think it's more serious than the first one, is emotional bullying. When I studied in primary school (what an early age), a girl was isolated by all the classmates. Unfortunately, the instigator was my best friend, so I dare not to say any words. One day, the girl didn't show up in class; she ran away from home. For more than a month, no one could find her. Of course all the students in our class were blamed, and we learned that the lethality of ignoring people is formidable. At that time I was one of the people involved, so I couldn't really know what triggered this bullying incident; I was too small then. Even now I grow up, I can only think of a superficial occasion: jealousy among girls.
From the elementary school to the senior high, numerous bullying happen on campus. Recently, the incidents of school violence seem to get increased and more serious. Are the children nowadays becoming unruly or rebellious? No! I think just the authority of teachers and parents decreases. They do not care what comforts their children need and what discipline they use. Instead, the education and achievement are their only concerns. Moreover the school kids become more and more immature, just because they are unaware of limitation of society. They abuse their powers to bully people who disgust them through verbal or physical methods. All I mentioned above is the reasons why the bullying surrounds us.
回覆刪除Many students saw bullying on campus and I was no exception. There is always someone isolated from the groups or bullied by bad guys when I studied from kindergarten to high school. In my junior high class, the gang of bad students saw a boy who was obedient to teachers but dressed slovenly as an eyesore. Out of jealousy, they refused to socialize with him and started to criticize his dressing like untidy hair and shabby clothes. Sometimes, they played mean tricks on him. Once, a dead cockroach was put in his schoolbag so that he was regarded as a dirty person from then on. Verbally, they threatened him to do what they wanted and spread his gossip or false rumors about him. Physically, they slapped, punched, kicked and threw thing like chalks or blackboard erasers to him. What’s more, those who socialized with him would be mocked by them. I never get closed to him, but I think keeping silent is also a bullying. So I found I was a bully finally…
I have seen a short film on Youtube about a victim boy suffered from bullying. He was hit by something hard like bottles, pencil cases, books even chairs and desks, all the things in the class might be thrown. He only drew back against the wall and covered his face, defending for his body with bruised hands, but no one saved him. Finally, the film ended with laughter and dirty words. I think I must be the one of onlookers as other people even if that victim boy is my friend. I could call teachers to deal with and could send him to health center, giving him comforts after the bully incident ended. Maybe I could call him to escape and run away with him. Cowardly, I have no courage to help victims from being bullied because I do not want to be another target of bullying and get injured directly. I could not imagine what suffering or agony the victims have. But one thing I know is that they need our supports and encouragements to fight the gang of bullies and to face society with head up bravely. It is my experience and opinions to the bullying.
回覆刪除Like Ken, I always keep silent while there is a bullying event happened. I was the class leader when I was in the low-level class; however, I didn't do my duty to lead the class. Actually, I had good relations with all my classmates then, even with those bullies. Hence, I wanted to maintain the relationships with them. Once, they physically bullied a boy at the back of the classroom, and I just acted as if nothing had happened, reading my textbooks calmly at my seat. How ridiculous! I didn't feel frightening or panic at that moment. The only thought that came through my mind was "noisy". Honestly, I am a selfish person. In order to be friends with those guys, I didn't care how helpless those victims of bullying would be. Since I didn't want to be thought of as a snitcher, I remained silent. Certainly, that was the most immature deeds I have ever done; I am regretful for ignoring those bullying events. Though I won't be blamed for doing nothing, I hurt those bullying victims in a crueler way. I was an accomplice of the bullies; I was a bully myself.
回覆刪除Dear Elsa and Ken,
回覆刪除I’m really surprised by your experiences about bullies for I do not witness any bully event before. It was fortunate for me.
I think not only the victims are traumatized but all the witnesses are hurt.
Please do not blame yourself, Elsa and Ken. I think many people will respond the same way as you. You were just protecting yourself.
Thank you for sharing such experiences here.
Carrie