Bullying has always been a problem in high school, but recently it has evolved from the classic “movie bully” that most people commonly picture. Instead of openly intimidating someone and making a scene, it has now transformed into something much more discreet. It typically plays out as judgmental glances and secretive laughs. Another common type of bullying is pretending to be someone’s good friend but actually using the person for laughs. It has become harder to notice when someone is getting bullied because it is less about physical intimidation and more based on mental and emotional harassment. Victims are often left with harmful internal thoughts that don’t leave any external signs. Because of this, many accounts of bullying go unreported. For some, they may not even realize that they are the subject of someone else’s joke. The common victims of bullying are usually people that struggle to make social connections and those that challenge the norms. Bullies find it easy to pick on someone who has a harder time standing up for themselves. This makes it easier for bullies to get away with their behavior.
With the increase of social media use, applications like Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok offer a new way to bully someone. After only seeing someone on a screen for a few seconds, it’s often hard to remember that they also have real thoughts and feelings. Leaving comments that tease or make fun of someone can have a lasting effect on the way that a person views themselves. A quick scroll past and those people are already gone, but those comments remain. Whether it’s leaving a mean comment or simply sharing a post with friends to tease someone behind their back, these are some of the main reasons why social media has turned into such a toxic place. It was originally created to share pieces of our lives or to entertain others, but it has grown into a platform for ridicule and mockery.
Since there has been an increase in the many different ways to bully someone, there is no specific image of what a bully looks like or how they choose to make fun of someone. So while some people deliberately target others, some bullies may not always label themselves in that way. They may believe that they are just having fun and making jokes, but they don’t take into account how it feels to be the subject of that joke. It never feels good to be ridiculed, especially if it’s behind your back. If you often find yourself laughing at others, try to imagine yourself in that position and imagine how you would feel.
Recently, many people have become so focused on fitting in and being normal that they often hide parts of themselves so they aren’t perceived as “weird” or “cringe”. Everyone should learn to embrace their differences and be confident and proud of their personalities. We should not tear someone down for trying to express themselves and show their personality. Even if you don’t like the way that someone acts, you shouldn’t try to make them be someone else just so that you won’t be annoyed or embarrassed. We need to be more accepting of everyone’s differences and not be so quick to judge them for being themselves.
