This week’s episode of CBC’s Cracked focuses on school bullying and the ensuing violence. I just finished a book that covered the same issue. And Canadian Artists Against recently remade Cyndi Lauper’s True Colors and an anti-bullying video.
Everyone’s aware of the problem. Most are outraged by it. And yet, in the days following a BC teen’s suicide due to bullying, her online memorial page was filled with further attacks from complete strangers who even claimed she deserved the abuse.
Now you’re horrified. Maybe even sickened. But are you any better?
The moment a name is uttered in the media, someone somewhere goes on the attack. It’s instinctive. Media equals power – even in death – and the suggestion of someone in the pack having more power creates the need for confrontation.
Tina Fey has suggested we should require a licence to tweet. Her reasoning is that most people are basically boring and they’re using up precious cyberspace uselessly. I agree.
I’ve been asked why I’m not on Twitter or Facebook. What would I say? “I’m picking up my dog’s poop.” “Go Canucks!” Who would care? And why would I care what other strangers are tweeting?
But for some reason, since the dawn of Twitter and social media, people think they’ve got to say something about everything. Seriously, you don’t. Even Thumper knew that “If you can’t say somethin’ nice, don’t say nothin’ at all.”
In an interview with Esquire, Megan Fox – a.k.a. every male’s wet dream from the Transformers movies – compared fame to bullying. “Whatever your worst experience, when you were being bullied by those 10 kids in high school … fame is that, but on a global scale … where you’re being bullied by millions of people constantly.”
A little self-indulgent? Maybe. But instead of being congratulated, actress/writer Lena Dunham has been called “fat” non-stop since she won her Golden Globe on Sunday.
And a recent online story about Sarah Jessica Parker’s role being cut from a movie was followed by dozens of reader comments and tweets about her “horseface.” They had nothing to add to the story itself, but felt it necessary to attack the actress’ appearance.
We are becoming a society of bullies. We practice on the weaker ones in school and then go after bigger targets as adults.
Yes, you have a right to share your opinions. But must you? Really? If it’s totally subjective and doesn’t add to the improvement of society as a whole – in fact, could hurt someone – why share it?
So you’re not a fan. Did you need to call someone “horseface” or “fat?” Or respond with an equally brilliant “LOL” or “For sure”?
If you took out their name and replaced it with your child, friend, mother or sister, would it still be OK? Or is it now bullying?
Which makes Megan Fox strangely brilliant. (Scary thought.)
If we want the online bullying of our kids to end, we need to change how we adults use our social media. Because our younger generation is learning it from us.
