The Online World
Harvey Fierstein once said, “Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one’s definition of your life; define yourself.” The world keeps on spinning not taking a moment to stop for no man, people are forced to go along with it making their own choices to cause but a small change to the world. Harvey makes rules or suggestions on important principals to have and implement into day to day lives. The one I’m going to focus on is bullying, specifically cyber bullying and the reason behind people bullying, the different effects and levels of severity depending on age and situation. The question that asks it’s self is what is cyber bullying? According to Marian Webster’s Dictionary, It’s the electronic posting of mean-spirited messages about a person (as a student) often done anonymously. This shows that anyone or anything can be said to a person that later becomes a victim of a crime.
The first glance at any new technology it seems like something cool and an object that everyone wants and enjoys. In reality it’s so much more, it’s a tool and in many ways an access card to the vast world of applications and of course the internet. What are the reasons that make kids become cyber bullies? In most cases the bully was a victim in the past, and by bullying other people or the person that bullied them in some cases brings satisfaction to that individual. “These kids are often referred to as bully-victims. And they feel justified in their actions because they, too, have been harassed and tormented. By cyber bullying others, they may feel a sense of relief and vindication for what they experienced.”(Gordon, Reasons Why Kids Cyber bully Others) That’s not the only reason or cause why kids decide that cyber bullying is justifiable or something that is permissible to do or be part of. For this case the bully thinks that it was done to me so now I can show them how it feels to be bullied, it’s like taking an eye for an eye. Even after all they have been through it doesn’t give them the right to bully someone else or take revenge their bully.
There is a mindset of bullies that believes that if they are to become cool or join the popular group, they need to bully someone as some sort of initiation to the clique. Completely ignoring any damage they have on their victim, joining the popular group at school or a social media site. People on the social media sites take advantage of the gullible people that feel the need to be accepted, to belong to a more superior group. “Sometimes kids will cyber bully to fit in with a group of friends or a clique. As a result, these kids succumb to peer pressure to fit into a group at school, even if it means going against their better judgment. They are more concerned with fitting in and being accepted than they are worried about the consequences of cyber bullying.”(Gordon, Reasons Why Kids Cyber bully Others) When people stop using common sense and that plays a big role in changing the situation from bad to worse, once a bully loses their empathy, and don’t feel what the human being on the other side of the screen. Not every bully intentionally means to hurt their victims, their words are miss interrupted by the victim, or they take the words the wrong way. “Some people think/That words on a screen/Don’t mean as much;/So they have the right to be mean.” (Mitchell, Cyber Bullying, Teen Ink) The poet is stating that people are ignorant of the things they do. They assume just because they have access to a keyboard and the internet that they can be mean or put down anyone they choose or feel like. The poet says that they think they have the right to be mean, it's like they are given a license to do that. There are many ways that social media sites are used that are great and beneficial to the user and communities and families in general. Many people use social media sites to stay in touch with friends and family members that live locally or very