Recently a lot of attention has been brought to the issue of bullying, and as a victim of it, I thought I'd throw in my two cents.
First of all, I am seriously disappointed and angry at society and the media for not making this a bigger issue before, they have talked about it but never this much and it saddens me that it's taken this long. It's something that's been around for so long, and I'm disgusted at how many CHILDREN have taken their own lives as a direct result of this bullshit before people actually decide to talk about how bad it is and take action!
It seems like such a long time since I was 8 years old and felt almost completely alone in the world because everyone, even certain teachers at my school treated me like garbage. I would have thought that in all that time the world would have changed for the better, but no, it's taken a turn for the worst.
An eight year old should never be thinking the world would be better off without them, ever!
At the time, there was all this talk about programs and projects that were supposed to eliminate bullying, and when people spoke about it everyone nodded and agreed that "bullying is bad! Lets treat everyone nicely!"
Yet, the same people constantly treated me like a leper.
I'm not trying to victimize myself here, just pointing out the hypocrisy and ridiculous behavior. I can understand it from kids because kids are idiots and don't always know any better-but adults? Grown ups, GROWN-ASS imbeciles who my parents trusted to educate me and get me ready for adulthood!
Instead, I have spent the majority of my adult life on welfare. I've tried a whole crap load of things to try to get me into a mental state where I'm actually capable of holding a proper job, the longest I've lasted is 4 months(probably shouldn't have said that in case possible future employers find this but whatever). I'm a nervous wreck most of the time which sucks because I know I'm a talented person with a lot of potential which is going to waste because I let some bastards convince me I was worth nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I have come a looong way from the 13 year old with cut up arms and mascara stained cheeks, it has taken so much time and energy but I've learned that I am worth something, I know I don't have to care what other people think!
It's just that, at 23, I still have that eight year old me in the back of my head, that sad, little girl who just wanted approval, questioning everything I do.
The aftershock of bullying.
It pisses me off that so many years have gone by and the situation hasn't changed, there are so many little girls and boys going through what I did. The teacher who did this to me is still teaching impressionable children, some of who will grow up to be like me, others like the bullies, and the rest, the kids she actually liked enough to give positive re-enforcement, will become respectable members of society!
I just hope, for the kids sake, that the media attention will open parents eyes, they'll watch out for signs that something is wrong before their children do something to harm themselves, because it is preventable!
And I wish society would stop being a pretentious asshole, I wish there was less talking and more action.
In an ideal world there would be laws against bullying, just like any other form of violence.
Now, before I start sounding all Miss America or overly whiny over here, I'm going to stop ranting.
Toodles!
VanHoppum
First of all, I am seriously disappointed and angry at society and the media for not making this a bigger issue before, they have talked about it but never this much and it saddens me that it's taken this long. It's something that's been around for so long, and I'm disgusted at how many CHILDREN have taken their own lives as a direct result of this bullshit before people actually decide to talk about how bad it is and take action!
It seems like such a long time since I was 8 years old and felt almost completely alone in the world because everyone, even certain teachers at my school treated me like garbage. I would have thought that in all that time the world would have changed for the better, but no, it's taken a turn for the worst.
An eight year old should never be thinking the world would be better off without them, ever!
At the time, there was all this talk about programs and projects that were supposed to eliminate bullying, and when people spoke about it everyone nodded and agreed that "bullying is bad! Lets treat everyone nicely!"
Yet, the same people constantly treated me like a leper.
I'm not trying to victimize myself here, just pointing out the hypocrisy and ridiculous behavior. I can understand it from kids because kids are idiots and don't always know any better-but adults? Grown ups, GROWN-ASS imbeciles who my parents trusted to educate me and get me ready for adulthood!
Instead, I have spent the majority of my adult life on welfare. I've tried a whole crap load of things to try to get me into a mental state where I'm actually capable of holding a proper job, the longest I've lasted is 4 months(probably shouldn't have said that in case possible future employers find this but whatever). I'm a nervous wreck most of the time which sucks because I know I'm a talented person with a lot of potential which is going to waste because I let some bastards convince me I was worth nothing.
Don't get me wrong, I have come a looong way from the 13 year old with cut up arms and mascara stained cheeks, it has taken so much time and energy but I've learned that I am worth something, I know I don't have to care what other people think!
It's just that, at 23, I still have that eight year old me in the back of my head, that sad, little girl who just wanted approval, questioning everything I do.
The aftershock of bullying.
It pisses me off that so many years have gone by and the situation hasn't changed, there are so many little girls and boys going through what I did. The teacher who did this to me is still teaching impressionable children, some of who will grow up to be like me, others like the bullies, and the rest, the kids she actually liked enough to give positive re-enforcement, will become respectable members of society!
I just hope, for the kids sake, that the media attention will open parents eyes, they'll watch out for signs that something is wrong before their children do something to harm themselves, because it is preventable!
And I wish society would stop being a pretentious asshole, I wish there was less talking and more action.
In an ideal world there would be laws against bullying, just like any other form of violence.
Now, before I start sounding all Miss America or overly whiny over here, I'm going to stop ranting.
Toodles!
VanHoppum
Couldn't agree with you more. Ég sjálf hristi höfuðið þegar ég horfi til baka á mín grunnskólaár.. kennararnir voru ekkert betri en nemendurnir. Fólk er fífl og það virðist ekkert breytast..
ReplyDeletemm, það voru líka svo margir sem stóðu bara og horfðu á og gerðu ekkert! Fólk sem maður á að geta treyst á...
ReplyDeleteÞað voru samt nokkrir sem reyndu að koma til mín og hjálpa mér, bæði kennarar og nemendur og ég lít til baka og er þakklát þeim fyrir að reyna allavega en það var bara aðeins of seint, búið að rústa öllu sem hét traust:/
Já, þegar börnin öskruðu "Slagur! Slahur!," þá gerðu kennaranir ekkert. Þannig var það í den hjá mér.
ReplyDeleteÉg hugsa grunnur vandans sé penninga leysi, þanig að gæsla til að passa börn frá varanlegum sálfræðilegum skaða, sem læðist aftan þeim þegar þau verða eldri, og dregur þau ovaní helja 'flash back'.
Gæti verið dæmi um 'vicious circle', eða 'Sjálfsuppfylandi hringiðja,' þar sem ofbeldið þolað, verður ofbeldi gefið, og þar sem allir verða fyrir þessu er það hunsað sem eðlilegur atburður. T.D. Bussun, 'Hazing,' [ég gæti haldið áfram]
I found that this also bothers me, why suddenly now do people care?
ReplyDeleteWe're in 2011, and we, as a society seem to be trying to pass ourselves off as intelligent beings, yet, there's so much hate.
I'm surprised that bullying is still legal, and there will always be douchebags.
But the adults are supposed to be responsible, and children should be able to go and talk to them, yet they don't feel as though they can, because often the teachers are worse, or turn a blind eye.
You're a teacher, you're not supposed to be everyone's bff.