Wow.
Idiocy abounds.
Researchers form UCLA are now saying that bullying, you read that right, is good for kids because it teaches them to stand up to classroom enemies an tormentors. I guess that whole, And it might drive them to suicide is just a downside to bullying, huh?
These "researchers" say that youngsters are more popular and more admired by teachers and friends if they return schoolyard hostility in kind.
The "researchers" do admit that bullying can be damaging....You don't say...to children, often leading to depression and anxiety, and the always fun suicide attempt, but those children who are not afraid to stand up for themselves can benefit from being picked on.
So, all children should become bullies. That's one way to end the cycle of violence.
They go on to say that "mutual dislike" can help students develop healthy social and emotional skills, and might even have a bigger impact on their development than friendships. In their "study" of children children aged 11 and 12, these "researchers" compared those who stood up to aggressors with those who did not.
Now read this carefully:
Children who returned hostility with hostility appeared to be the most mature.
Say it again:
Children who returned hostility with hostility appeared to be the most mature.
And, apparently, boys who stood up to bullies and schoolyard enemies were judged more socially competent by their teachers, while girls who did the same were more popular and more admired by teachers and peers.
Now, the "researchers" took great care to say that it isn't healthy to be the victim of bullying, but they do feel that these negative experiences could teach children about conflict resolution.
Unless it drives them to kill themselves first.
Seriously.
Telling children to bully their bullies is a way to handle this crisis? Why not just let the children go to school armed, and whoever is left standing at the end of the day wins the prize of most admired by their peers.
Who would all be dead.
We're kind of messed up, aren't we?
ReplyDeleteI think at one point this might have been true. I have often said some of the torment I went through as a child made me a stronger man.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, bullying has taken a much more severe and deadly turn. Kids today are evil and parents walk around pretending not to notice what is going on until its too late.
What? That makes it worst
ReplyDeleteI do think a mild form is ok and does build character but the problem is how extreme these kids seem to be taking it these days. It's crazy and sooo sad!
ReplyDeleteBack when I was "straight", I was bullied and the only reason why it stopped is because I fought back. And one of the times I did I broke a guy's orbital bone (eye socket) with a punch.
ReplyDeleteI personally don't like fighting and I know this is going to sound bad but the guy who was on the business end of my fist that day deserved it --and he stopped bullying people after that.