Bullying

We hear a lot about bullying these days. Most of it is ridiculous. It becomes absurd, when there is even consideration for government involvement. I caution government representatives to stay out of it. It will lead only to emotional trauma.

To better understand bullying, let's consider what it really is. It is a technique by which a person or group attempts to gain power over another individual or group through threat of violence or other undesirable result. The bully expects that his target subject is then amenable to granting concessions.

Here are some examples of bullying. A fifth grader threatens to punch a fourth grader, unless the fourth-grader gives up his allowance. North Korea threatens to use nuclear weapons and actually uses standard artillery to convince South Korea and the US to make economic concessions. Government threatens the public with dire financial collapse, unless they approve massive bailouts. A male boss threatens a female employee with demotion or firing unless she accedes to his sexual requests.

There are commonalities in all of the above scenes. The first is the desire for power on the part of the bully, as already mentioned. The second involves the person or group being bullied. If that person or group agrees to the bully's demands, a bullying situation is executed. However, if that same person or group does not agree to the bully's demands, a contest develops, in which it is likely that the bully will back down.

The key point is that life is full of bullying situations. Children must be taught to stand up for themselves at some physical risk. And so learning, they then become able to handle more complex bullying situations as adults. Any society which is taught that bullying situations can be alleviated by a higher power, is doomed to destruction. An over-protective parent who comes to the defense of his child in a bullying situation at school, on the sports field, or wherever, is not allowing his child to grow to handle adult problems. In such situations, a parent should be an observer and not interfere with the attempted bullying process. If a child accedes to a bullying request, he learns to pay the penalty. If he does not exceed the learns that he himself has personal power.

This is a situation of personal life in which government, including schools, have no business operating. It is an area that must be reserved for the general public, particularly parents in the teaching of their children. It should be accepted that bullying will never be eliminated. It is a fact of life and people must learn to deal with it.