Monday 2 May 2016

Do we ever really leave High School?



I'd lay money that if we revisited these characters in later life they would have reverted to type as adults. So, do we ever really leave High School behind?
I bet that if you look around the people in your life you can pretty much work out who was in which clique but today it is bullies that are on my mind.

Yesterday an on line friend was being harassed by a nasty little troll and it really upset me. I see it all the time on Facebook, especially on the F1 sites which I admin. Little keyboard warriors with Napoleon complexes spouting their bile. Anyone can be brave behind a computer screen!
Worse than that I see it in real life too, at work, in the street and I am the victim of it at the moment.

All bullies are insecure and most are jealous of what they perceive you to be or have. Many of them have been victims of bullying themselves in the past.
It can take the form of ignoring, harassment, spreading rumour and lies, bad mouthing you behind your back to others to get them on their side, and in some cases, verbal or physical abuse. Nothing short of playground politics.
Have no doubt though, they feel threatened by you and bullying makes them feel that they have control of the situation but how you handle them will determine that in the end.


I fell out with someone a while back, it was our business and I've kept it to myself, I don't make a habit of bitching about people behind their backs but people do love to get involved.
So I continue to hold my head up with quiet dignity, they will not get the better of me and they will not stop me from doing what I love. They have a very high opinion of themselves and ultimately their behaviour will
reflect badly on them.  I don't need to do a damned thing but sit back and watch karma take its course.

Worse than the bullies in my mind though are the accomplices, those that bully indirectly by enabling the bully, laughing with them at their meanness and joining in, or just plain turning a blind eye, not having the balls to take a stand when they know what the other person is doing is wrong.
It's cowardly.
It's not how I was brought up. I was taught to stand up for others and not to sit back and watch people being belittled or humiliated. To treat others with the kindness and respect that I would like to be treated.
So, we have a choice in these situations to stand up and be counted or to be morally vacant.

It is a sad old world we live in that people would rather sit back and judge without being in receipt of all the facts.