Monday, October 21, 2013

Cyber Bullying - A 21st Century Dilemma

Headlines: Half of teens 15 to 18 bullied someone in the last year!
It's almost hard to believe the data.  First of all, who would admit to being a bully? According to this headline, is anybody safe in our high schools?  Like a lot of articles, the headlines can be a little deceiving.  Many of us will admit that we didn't treat someone as nice as we should have, or we have been made to feel inadequate by someone else. That doesn't make a bully. Many of those same people are outstanding citizens. The problem comes with the definition of what a bully truly is. According to Stopbullying.gov:

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Both kids who are bullied and who bully others may have serious, lasting problems



Watch this amazing video ABC News: What Would You Do? There is definitely a difference in how boys and girls bully each other, but what gives the bully the power mentioned in the definition? Watch the reactions of the bystanders. Does the power come from the silent acceptance of the bystanders? If kids and adults had the courage to stand up to the bully, would there be any bullying.  Wouldn't bullies stand alone?

Cyber Bullying is the new format for bullies to press their will over those considered less than them. In a recent article, 12 year old, Rebecca Sedwick of Florida, committed suicide over what is claimed to be months of the bullies perusing their victim on line. Two of those bullies have now been arrested. The story is an extreme example of what can happen to both the bully and their victim.  It's not the first time this has happened, and unfortunately it won't be the last.  As technology takes a stronghold of our lives, what can be done to stop this new form of bullying that seems to spread exponentially with ease?

Watch the following video about what is being called, "The Cyber Bully Virus".


In the end of the video, the solution seems clear.  Don't "Like This"!  If all of the people that reposted the comments in the case of Rebecca Sedwick had only stopped to think about the consequences of their actions, only a small few would even remembered who Rebecca was and she would be alive today. Many didn't even know Rebecca, and they couldn't have considered how fragile she was already. Have the courage to stand up to the bully.  Don't accept bullying silently, verbally, or physically. Don't promote it online with "Like This" or "Comment". Let it die with the publisher not another victim.  

What would you do?  Do you have the courage? Why is it so easy to say, and so hard to do?  Can you already this year think of a situation that called for you to have courage?  I know I can.  I want to say that next time I will step up, but I sometimes, I'm not so sure I will.

21 comments:

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    1. But what's so powerful about it? Can you explain how this video makes you feel this way?????

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    2. I agree with Audrey- why is this video powerful?

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    3. This video is powerful because it shows you what happens if you start something, it never ends.

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    4. and it will never if u dont stop

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    5. Cyber bullying can be stopped, it just needs effort. It takes more than a few school meetings in the gym, or a talking to the class. Bullies don't have power, except the power, or fear being giving to them, from their victims. Bullies are scared, scared of being picked on like how the kids are by them, and that's why they bully, they want to appear brave, and earn respect. Yet, they don't get respect, so they continue, spreading the virus.

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  2. The cyber bullying virus attached to this blog post is very powerful and the first time I watched it it made me cry. I hope this video shows people and makes people notice what cyber bullying and regular bullying can do to someone. How it can damage someones feelings and how some people think. Like about suicide because they can't get away from it. http://newsela.com/articles/cyberbullying-poll/id/1586/ this is a article that I think you should read. If you read it. I have a comment on it. I think more kids or people that are be cyber bullied should do this more.

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    1. I also believe that this is a very powerful video that shows how victims also react to this and they can teach people what they can do to a person and how deadly it can be just of picking on someone.

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    2. I got more into different videos about bullying and cyber-bullying. I saw another video and it was powerful because of how much sense it was making. The narrator was saying that when you are dead, you can never go back. There's no going back after you're dead.

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  3. This video is a sad and powerful and people should be attested this and not with it if u are with this think again and think HARD. Do u really want to hurt other people and make there life misarble well i say STOP THE BULLYING AND MAKE FRIENDS!!!

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    1. How is it powerful? What makes this video so powerful? Is it because the actor acts like it's really happening? Is it because the bullies in this video made it seem like they were only doing this for their own good to keep their friends? Explain

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    2. it powerful because it speaks to people to let them know there doing something wrong and they should STOP if they know what there doing is WRONG

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    3. Madysun, many people have tried, its the point of all the bully programs that schools have. Besides, saying stop is hard, you don't need to be brave, just be confident in yourself to make the correct choice, and to help out others.

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  4. If we all stand up to bullying it will end . I think bully's have nothing better to do so they bully someone . I think bully's don't think about how he/she could be effecting he/she

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    1. Mathew I totally agree because a lot of people are by standers and they sometimes don't understand what they do as being a by stander can really help someone with bullying issues!

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    2. people don't know what there doing so they keep doing it and if your board DO NOT go bully someone go make a friend not a enemy

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    3. There is so many people that won't stand up to bullying because they are to scared. if everyone stands up to bullying, then there won't be anyone that can be a bully. DONT BE SCARED! DO WHATS RIGHT!

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  5. I was interested in how the schools can watch what is going on with our computers at school. How much freedom should they have to monitor our internet activity?

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  6. The video is sad/powerful!! if i were ever bullied online or in real life i would tell someone right away. if i ever saw/heard about someone getting bullied i would make sure that he/she was okay. one of my friends didn't come 2 school for a couple days. when she came back she said that she had been bullied. everyone in the school made sure that she was okay. remember BE A BUDDY NOT A BULLY!!!!!

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  7. She was bullyed i think that she can be powerful like the rest of us if your geting bullyed stand up for your self

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  8. People need to stand up for each other. Don't just stand there and watch you gotta help when it's needed. This is a really powerful video because all of the hate and pain. Nobody should be bullying, cause you wouldn't like it if you were the one getting bullied. One day you might be the one that is getting bullied by hate. I'm warning all the people out there that don't like each other. Don't bully, make it up don't just hate each other for the rest of the life. Gotta learn how to get along.

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