To This Day

[foilman8805]

Re: To This Day

For some reason I couldn't get emotional about this. I thought it was going to be a funny story and it kind of amused me at first and then it got boring with what I assume was supposed to be empathetic tragedy.

Izzy not having feelings, what else is new.

I got my fair share of name-calling and whatever else from the kids I grew up with in my neighborhood because I was the little nerd who would rather read a book than go outside and play, but it never really ate me up in all honesty. I would always choose to talk to the adults in the neighborhood rather than the kids and a lot of the shit that was said to me/about me rolled off of me for the most part. I was a confident kid. As it turns out, I was the only one among all those kids I grew up with that even amounted to anything. They've all become losers. Got pregnant or had kids in their late teens, are drug users, work menial and unsatisfying jobs, never left home, etc. Usually the ones who do the bullying and seem like the big shots when we're growing up turn out to be the societal scum when they're older. I don't think it's a coincidence.

[Trogdor!!!!]

Re: To This Day

I never got picked on because I was always the class clown/funny one. s:

[Dorby]

Re: To This Day

Being bullied just made me feel even more strongly about myself and actually boost my self-esteem rather than the opposite. I'm older now and none of that childish stuff has happened in a long time, and I guess I've kinda forgotten all about it. There's just so much more in the world than being a victim and holding on to it... Instead, it's best to help others. We can't rewind, but we also can't just be mad our whole lives just because what happened was unfair. There just comes a time when you have to be like "Wow wtf this is stupid as hell but I really need to just concentrate on myself and focus on my future and making the best out of the cards I've been dealt" I mean, sure it's easier said than done, but a right mindset helps a lot in the path. I've noticed since I'm older that a lot of the bullying that goes on is really just out of jealousy, out of someone who isn't happy who wants to drag everyone else down with them. For you to become depressed yourself is only telling them that they've won. Don't be the loser, don't be the victim... Just keep on doing whatever the hell you want to do. I'd much rather respect the one person being themselves than the thousand people acting like they aren't human and have no personalities because they don't want to be vulnerable... But anyways, I'm sure I'm just rambling now. Hopefully someone out there got some hope out of this.

[dAnceguy117]

Re: To This Day

Very cool, Dorby. Your thoughts are highly relevant to the video and the topic.

That video was produced really well. It's not my favorite kind of anti-bullying message, though. The symptoms of bullying can be serious, and helping past victims cope would be helpful, for sure. However, I think we might be better served by trying to prevent bullying from the get-go.

A lot of what the narrator mentions might be unrelatable to those who haven't had similar experiences. Kids who do the bullying need to be told explicitly and convincingly why making fun of "weird" behavior can permanently damage a victim's psyche. (Just my opinion, of course.)

Anywho, props to all of you who suffered through this type of nonsense and were able to move on. I'd wager that all of you are stronger people than I.

[kmay]

Re: To This Day

Being bullied just made me feel even more strongly about myself and actually boost my self-esteem rather than the opposite. I'm older now and none of that childish stuff has happened in a long time, and I guess I've kinda forgotten all about it. There's just so much more in the world than being a victim and holding on to it... Instead, it's best to help others. We can't rewind, but we also can't just be mad our whole lives just because what happened was unfair. There just comes a time when you have to be like "Wow wtf this is stupid as hell but I really need to just concentrate on myself and focus on my future and making the best out of the cards I've been dealt" I mean, sure it's easier said than done, but a right mindset helps a lot in the path. I've noticed since I'm older that a lot of the bullying that goes on is really just out of jealousy, out of someone who isn't happy who wants to drag everyone else down with them. For you to become depressed yourself is only telling them that they've won. Don't be the loser, don't be the victim... Just keep on doing whatever the hell you want to do. I'd much rather respect the one person being themselves than the thousand people acting like they aren't human and have no personalities because they don't want to be vulnerable... But anyways, I'm sure I'm just rambling now. Hopefully someone out there got some hope out of this.

coming from the biggest ass this site has ever seen. just saying.

[iironiic]

Re: To This Day

I certainly can relate to this as well. It's sad that there are always going to be people who judge you based on how you appear, and never make any attempt to look deeper than your appearance. Unfortunately, life is unfair and will always be full of horrible people.

[ohsosilly]

Re: To This Day

Wow. This video hit me extremely hard. Thank you for posting this. I endured my fair share of bullying in school, so this hit me hard from that end, certainly. But... it hit me even harder as someone who's studying to be a teacher.

In my experience, it seemed like bullying in school is something that teachers had a tough time dealing with. A lot of the time, bullying stayed under the teachers' radar or they had to walk a sort-of tightrope between the bullies and the bullied in order to try to balance out the classroom. It rarely worked. Out of the hundreds of times that I dealt with bullying first-hand, there was only one time that a teacher cornered a student, told her off and told her to stay away from me. I'll never forget how much that meant to me.

My role as a teacher in preventing bullying could be huge. I want to be someone who makes sure that kids do not grow up this way. I've been there. I'm just not sure where to start, or what exactly my role would be. It's one thing to stick up for a peer, but once you become a teacher, your role undoubtedly changes.

I'm really really curious about what people think about the role of teachers in bullying prevention. Has anyone else ever been in a position of authority and been able to combat bullying? What did you do? In school, did a teacher ever stick up for you, or was there a time that you needed a teacher's help and it never came?

[dAnceguy117]

Re: To This Day

I'm just not sure where to start, or what exactly my role would be.

I feel like dealing with kids on a case-by-case basis would be effective. I remember that, as a child, I tuned out whenever the teacher scolded the entire class at once. If a teacher specifically called me out, though, you better believe I took things to heart.

It's one thing to stick up for a peer, but once you become a teacher, your role undoubtedly changes.

True. When defending a peer against another peer, anything goes. In contrast, I think a teacher should basically take the role of "moderator." Unfortunately, I witnessed a couple instances where someone being picked on lost his cool, and he was the only one who got in trouble for those incidents. A good moderator would prevent any escalation before an outburst occurred.

I'm really really curious about what people think about the role of teachers in bullying prevention. Has anyone else ever been in a position of authority and been able to combat bullying? What did you do?

Not me, sorry. I too would like to hear someone chime in with some personal experiences.