meritocrat

It's not 'nonsense'. People are different and differing things would affect or emotionally harm them.

winstonjen

Meritocrat, if bullying is good for people, why don't we institute a 'bullying day' in schools where students and teachers can bully each other, leading to further bullying and more effects (which are more harmful than good in real life).

It's pretty obvious that you probably weren't bullied much at school, or you would decry it and try to reduce it.

Viti

I am beginning to suspect you are nothing but a troll here just to stir up trouble.

Post some documentation that bullying is not harmful and is in fact helpful or retract your ridiculous assertions.

The bully/victim dynamic is well studied and documented. Bullies have a certain type of psychological profile and victims have a certain type of psychological profile. The victims are chosen because by their very nature they will not or cannot defend themselves or assert themselves and these types of things will usually harm them because of that nature.

Jamie_L

You asked why bullying is wrong. That's a moral question. It has to do with motivations and the interaction of social beings. What is natural or unnatural doesn't necessarily enter into it. Floods and natural disasters are not caused by a moral agent, thus there is no analogy to bullying. Unless one believes in an omnipotent creator diety, in which case, floods and natural disasters are immoral.

Immoral acts can result in good things, but that doesn't make the act moral. A woman who was raped may start a rape crisis center that helps hundres of women. That does not mean it was moral for her assailant to rape her.

Jamie

meritocrat

Heh, people would 'verbally insult' me when I was at school and it had no effect.

RevDahlia

Being mean to people is wrong. Isn't this pretty much the core of human ethics?

Why is it okay for little kids to be horrible to one another? The "it builds character" argument is kinda bunk -- for some, bullying can be coped with well, for others, it is devastating. The cost/benefit ratio is not good there.

I was bullied relentlessly as a kid, and although it took me a long time to get past it I think it was ultimately to my benefit. I was not going to be popular or well-liked, so I concentrated my energies elsewhere. But then, my ego has always been healthy. I have a friend, a very successful model and actress, who was the pariah of her school and has never gotten over it. She took the taunts to heart and still believes she's a hideous loser, despite her noteworthy career. You get told those things often enough, you start to believe 'em. The scars go deep, and the bullying was totally unnecessary. It did nobody any good.

Some people come out the other side okay, but life is difficult enough without gratituitous bullying in the mix.

The Lone Ranger

You're sure of this?

In my experience, those who have a "might equals right" attitude are the first to cry "unfair!" upon meeting someone mightier.

Cheers,

Michael

meritocrat

No.

Yes I am sure. A verbal insult would anger me; it would not 'hurt' me.

Yggdrasill

If I were a Ethical Nihilist, I would say that bullies should be dragged into the street and shot, they do not benefit society or the human race.

But I am not a Ethical Nihilist, so I will instead say that bullying is about as despicable as torture, because that is in essence what it is, the systematic emotional and physical torture of a person, often lasting several years. Yes, sometimes people benefit from being tortured, but that does not justify the whole torture thing. Bullies should be given help, and lots of it. I don't know what would be most benificial for them, maybe institutionalisation or being put in a seperate class, or maybe being put in a foster home and be given home schooling.

Misso

What about all that talking about anger being a manifestation of pain? It's quite widely accepted.