Bullying is receiving attention in the press this month. Sticks and Stones, Defeating the Culture of ‘bullying and Rediscovering the Power of Character and Empathy by Emily Bazelon was reviewed on March 3 in The New York Times Book Review and her editorial appeared on March 12.
Bullying is a term adopted by psychologists for
physical or verbal abuse, repeated over time and involving a power imbalance.
One person with more social status lords it over another person, over and over
again, to make him miserable. A single episode of conflict between children or
teens does not constitute bullying.
The author notes
that the term has been overused and this can exacerbate the problem for
everyone, especially schools and students. Adults need to understand the
concept and convey the message that bullying
is unacceptable behavior.
Bazelon is
optimistic; she knows that children themselves have a good sense of what the
term means versus “drama” which
refers to “ordinary skirmishes.” Helping individuals engage in dialogue and
teaching the tools of empathy and resilience are effective approaches to
combat the destructive behavior.
Years ago I knew
a woman who was mercilessly bullied by a man at work. The concept was not widely recognized, and she
struggled in relative isolation. Today, the term threatens to be over-utilized,
so Bazelon’s book comes at a fortuitous turn in the road for a society ready to
face and deal with bullying’s detrimental effects.
Conclusion: As a
society, with increased psychological understanding, we’re better equipped to
define and cope with bullying behavior.
Recognizing it allows us to distinguish between teenage “drama” and to take
positive steps to resolve conflict.
Dear Reader, I
invite your comments. Jsimon145@gmail.com
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