Is bullying always a bad thing?

[Andrew NDB]

http://www.debate.org/opinions/is-bu...ys-a-bad-thing

Is it? Or does it build character and (sometimes) force or encourage positive change?

[newfan]

I'm not sure I'd view having my head flushed down the toilet as helping my character build.

Bullying can break/traumatise people.

[FredWolfLeonardo]

I believe it is always a bad thing, but only for the bully as they have a character flaw and make an idol out of bullying others in order to gain satisfaction rather than just being content regardless, which makes them inherently unhappy and frustrated individuals prone to bullying others even more in a vicious cycle.

For the bullied, I see it as neutral in the same way that someone's house being wiped out by a storm or someone getting severely injured by another man by accident is neutral. Some will learn from it, grow stronger and move on while others will be believe their life has been ruined and they will become more insecure and unhappy.

[The Deadman]

This shouldnt even be a question.

[Wesley]

Depends on the extent of the bullying. The bullied might learn to be able to fight back and stand up for oneself.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...t-popular.html

[Sumac]

Bullying is always a bad thing.

Kids and teenagers should learn to fight back through other means.

[ProphetofGanja]

To me this question is asking, "is a bad thing ever a good thing?"

And the answer is no, no it is not.

But what can be deemed good or bad is the response to an instance of bullying, on the victim's part, their peers' part, the parents' part, teacher's part, even the bully themselve's part

[IndigoErth]

Always. Mentors, idols, etc should be a force for change for kids/people who look up to them and want to emulate something about them.

It is NEVER a random peer's job, duty, obligation, or right to try to force change in someone else, and certainly not through bullying. We don't accept it among adults, so I don't know why we look away when it's kids.

If I didn't like a co-worker, should it be my place to bully them until they change into someone I do like? Wtf, no. It is no one's job to become someone I like. (Even if that person is themselves an asshat.) It is not a crime that they exist within your presence as a person you don't enjoy being near. To think we should try to force someone to change what they can't - and shouldn't even have to** - because their presence is somehow an affront to our existence is ridiculous. Anyone who acts otherwise truly thinks the world revolves around them and belongs to them.

Should we bully a bully until they become a nicer person? Oh that'll work real well.


**Save for things they've become that are harmful to them, like drug addiction. But bullying is no good there either and is never a useful tool.

[Andrew NDB]

By and large I think bullying is horrible and agree that bullies themselves are often coming from broken homes with questionable parent figures. Additionally, if I ever found out my daughter was being bullied in school, oh boy would I go to war over it.

That said... I think that bullies can be a useful tool in certain cases. I know at least a few dudes from wayyy back in the day who learned to grow a backbone and stand up to some, providing an early life lesson (how to stand up for themselves, self worth, respect when the bullies are taught a lesson) they might never have learned otherwise. I tend to place pretty good odds they probably would have grown up to be pansies without that, given their initial trajectories.

[Papenbrook]

Originally Posted by IndigoErth

We don't accept it among adults, so I don't know why we look away when it's kids.

There are exceptions. On social media and/or news articles, people berate and mock each other all the time.

People don't seem call that bullying, though.

Should we bully a bully until they become a nicer person? Oh that'll work real well.

And yet, people continue to do it.

The world never changes.

[IndigoErth]

Well, I was thinking more in terms of work vs schools. (Sure, it happens in some work situations, but with any luck and decent managers/HR the polices set in place will help see that it's dealt with.)

The internet is kind of assumed to be a cesspool where many of all ages will delve into the most asshat form of themselves.

Originally Posted by Andrew NDB

I know at least a few dudes from wayyy back in the day who learned to grow a backbone and stand up to some, providing an early life lesson (how to stand up for themselves, self worth, respect when the bullies are taught a lesson) they might never have learned otherwise.

I'd like to think that in situations like that many actually also have good people behind them who could be credited in playing a part, maybe a larger part, in helping encourage the person to summon the courage to take a stand for themselves.