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Give me a freaking break. | Source: Shutterstock
Yes, bullying is terrible. Yes, we’d all like to see it come to an end and have kids go to school without worrying that they’ll be made fun of (or worse). The thing is, though, that ending bullying for good is going to be about as easy as creating world peace. I’m not joking.
Here’s why: Every middle school and high school in the country is essentially a microcosm of global society. There are groups of people that get along, there are groups that don’t. There are groups that have seriously lost their minds and terrorize other kids both physically and mentally. We’ve all seen videos of kids who’ve been severely bullied, who are terrified to go to school. We’ve seen the photos of the young girls and guys who’ve taken their own lives because they couldn’t stand the daily bullying. Heaven knows we’ve all known a Regina George or two in our day. What goes down in the hallways of our schools is really not that different from the conflicts between different governments and religious groups around the world every day—it’s just on a way smaller scale with (usually) far less grisly outcomes.
All around the world, horrific things happen every day. People are tortured. Women are raped. Innocent people—just normal families, including children—are slaughtered over their religious and political beliefs . . . essentially, because they’re different from other people. The United Nations is not trying to “fix” these devastating events by releasing balloons or selling Lady Gaga notepads to people who’ve suffered because, um, that would be wildly insulting, inappropriate, and insensitive.
Sorry, Gaga. I’m not buying your “Kindness Sticks.” | Source: PNP/WENN.COM
I’m not pretending to have the answers here. I don’t know how to stop bullying or create world peace, for that matter. All I’m saying is that we need to wake up and realize that ugly problems rarely have easy fixes. We’re gonna need a whole lot more than a new Lady Gaga song or even a school-wide sing-along to solve this one.
What do you think? Do you think balloon releases can stop bullying or do you think they’re a waste of time? Will you bring Lady Gaga’s anti-bullying school supplies to class with you this fall? What do you think is the real solution to bullying? Tell me in the comments. I really want to hear your thoughts.
Do You Think This Bully Learned Her Lesson?
I agree wholeheartedly. To put a complete, full stop to bullying sounds next to impossible. What we can do that we’re not doing is acknowledge the fact that bullying doesn’t just effect that target, that it’s a symptom of more systemic societal problems. One of which is the way we teach boys to be men, which is basically by saying they should be anything BUT like a girl or a gay male. This project goes a long ways towards starting the right discussion about bullying. http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/158301?a=835579
don’t want to be bullyed? HATE everyone and everything, cus then no one can hurt you, so no bullying
I agree, someone is always trying to milk some kind of money from a terrible situation. Bullying is not going to stop overnight. Bullying may never even stop because of how some kids are raised or their personal experience. Fighting a endless war.
The mainstream will always find a way to cash in on things like this. Kindness sticks, really? Selling products is not going to help but, actually educating yourself and others will make a difference. #Open-mindness is the key.
At least the teachers and schools and parents are trying to do what they think is best for their kids instead of writing an article that ISN’T EVEN TRYING but giving up on what you think is right… You don’t like bullying so you come on line and kill everyone else’s hope that it can one day be resolved. Now THAT is disrespectful.
I totally agree! Sometimes at my school, they have assemblies and spokespersons saying: “oh, it’s not bullying if it’s this” “oh we care for you” “oh if they’re bullying they were probably bullied themselves (true in rare cases)”. BULL! During all of these, I just wanna scream “THIS ISN’T GOING TO WORK!” I mean, a kid killed himself this year- I don’t think that these assemblies will work in the long run- because no matter what teachers tell you and how they say to tell someone- people are scared, extremely, and they don’t feel like they can talk to anyone. We need to do more than just EDUCATE people on bullying, we actually have to enforce rules already made about bullying.
Mr.S: People should respect each other!!!!!!!!
Ch1: I wish people would just, f**kin’ be nice, f**k bullies!!! They only do it, cause they feel bad ’bout themselves! So haters and bullies f**kin’ stop this s**t!!!!!!!
Mr.S I agree, but please less swearing!!!
Ch1: F**kin’ Whatevwe!!!
I believe that the bullying problem could be solved with education. Making children understand that they must treat other people in a respectful way, no matter what their physique or opinions are. I mean, if parents taught their kids some ethical values since they are really young and those values were reinforced in school, things would be different. Everyone should understand that all of us deserve respect.
i agree that kindness sticks won’t stop bullying but maybe the idea is it will empower certain kids who feel ostracized. then again i never was bullied or did the bullying. it is also about teaching other kids to stand up when they see something wrong. my mom always told me to “trust my gut” and if it doesn’t look or feel right then stop it, or tell others to stop it. i never allowed bullying around me
I agree totally because i was once the bullied and when i told some one they didn’t take it seriously. I feel that all this crap about raising money to stop bullying or whatever they are trying to do isn’t gonna make a difference. These kids are still going to bully innocent people because they have issues of there own or they just do it for the sick fun of it. No one can stop bullying completely, i feel that its like trying to find a cure for cancer. You just can’t because kids are just born into a violent society and it’s just sad to see innocent lives taken because of these insensitive people. It’s just really sad.
The most we can do is educate people on prejudice. Most reasons people bully are because of some form of ignorance and prejudice. Most of all parents need to set an example, “treat people the way you want to be treated” and if you follow a religion: don’t use it as an excuse to exclude people. In my case as Christian to be specific catholic; I just follow its basic teachings which is to respect everyone.
I fully agree. I wish everyone tried to respect everyone else.