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♘ Spontaneous Writing: Are you the Villain or the Hero?

Saturday, February 6, 2010 @ 11:35 AM

Remember this video? I showed the class this short ad to explain O-C-C-R. I made a white lie though - this video does have music accompanying it. I muted it to make you concentrate. Haha! (and then some of you might say, 'cher, you're lame.)

Anyway, that is not the point of putting it up here.

I want to discuss "bullying". Have you been bullied before? Were you ever the bully himself or herself? Or did you become the white knight and rescue the victim with a valiant sweep?

I am not talking just about physical bullying. I am also covering emotional bullying. This form of bullying is a form of verbal abuse including name-calling, incessant teasing, threatening, ganging up and mocking. Groups and cliques tend to show more emotional bullying acts than individuals. There are many reasons to explain this. When a group find a "common enemy", group members feel accepted and closer to each other. Putting down an external party makes them feel superior too. People also find "courage" in groups. Unfortunately, they do not realize this form of courage is really cowardice in disguise.

The scary thing is that the lethality of emotional bullying is often underestimated by the culprits. Targeted victims suffer low self-esteem. They get depressed and sometimes, suicidal. "Emotional bullying takes a tremendous toll on the victim's health and self-esteem because such behavior and attacks are as damaging to the mind and body as if they were physical. In other words, emotional bullying is a form of social violence." (Adapted from Edel Jarboe's "I'm Rubber and You're Glue: Handling Emotional Bullies)

Some argue that the victims are at fault too. Possibly, they did something stupid that irritate the group or simply stood out like a sore thumb. Sometimes, they could have clashed with the leader of a clique who then spread the bad vibes within the group. The faithful followers will adopt the same stance against the victim, in the name of unity. Interestingly, no one thought to be just frank with each other and "talk it out" nicely. No one has the real courage so emotions take over and we forget that we are educated beings with logic and manners.

Here is my challenge to the class. What will you do in this situation? Will you join the clique to feel accepted and take up the group cause against the victim? Or will you choose to be the hero who dyed his hair red as a silent protest against the abuse? Or will you sit on the fence, i.e., be neutral?

Who will you be? This will be your theme for next week's spontaneous writing. Please submit it on 12 Feb 2010.

- Your English Teacher

Labels: bullying