I Was A Bully Victim
I was a bit of a nerdy kid: academic and poor at sports. I didn't have many friends, though those I had were priceless and close. I got picked on sometimes, but I shrugged it off and dealt with it intelligently.
I've been thinking about this recently in relation to kids who are victimized by their peers. That, of course, is unacceptable. But I really think that "being bullied" is more a mind-set than a reality in many circumstances.
We're doing kids a disservice by allowing them to become (and regard themselves as) victims in the face of normal childhood struggles.
I'm not normalizing or excusing oppressive behaviour here, but I think that society is doing children a disservice by allowing them to become victims rather than to stand up for themselves (and I don't mean physically, necessarily: I mean psychologically.) It's hardly a good lesson for adult life.
I have never hit a fellow being, but I scared some sad assholes off well and true when I was a child. It may be politically incorrect to say so, but I'm glad I was brought up that way, rather than to feel sorry for myself and blame others.
I've been thinking about this recently in relation to kids who are victimized by their peers. That, of course, is unacceptable. But I really think that "being bullied" is more a mind-set than a reality in many circumstances.
We're doing kids a disservice by allowing them to become (and regard themselves as) victims in the face of normal childhood struggles.
I'm not normalizing or excusing oppressive behaviour here, but I think that society is doing children a disservice by allowing them to become victims rather than to stand up for themselves (and I don't mean physically, necessarily: I mean psychologically.) It's hardly a good lesson for adult life.
I have never hit a fellow being, but I scared some sad assholes off well and true when I was a child. It may be politically incorrect to say so, but I'm glad I was brought up that way, rather than to feel sorry for myself and blame others.
31-35, M