Living Amongst Predators?: Our Modern Day Society

Our Modern Day Society

In our every day society and American culture, sometimes abusiveness is accepted as a way to get ahead in life. Television shows such as House, Scrubs, and ER, all portray rude and arrogant doctors who verbally abuse and humiliate others. Teen movies usually depict the most popular students, such as the cheerleaders and athletes, as bullies. Jaana Juvonen, a psychologist at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) who studies school culture, says, “Studies even confirm that school bullies are often star athletes or class leaders, popular with students, teachers and administrators who are often reluctant to discipline them. Classmates are not keen to affiliate with a bully, but they recognize that these people have social capital and power” (Greenya, 103). When someone is on top of the school, they are known to be the most popular, and have the most power. Sometimes high schools are divided into cliques, and if you are not with the “popular kids” then you are considered an outsider.

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In the past, psychologists believed that bullies had low self-esteem, which is why they would put others down, in order to make themselves feel better. However, new research shows that bullies have a high self-esteem and instead enjoy their superiority over others (St. Clair 1). In a certain way, bullies are sadistic because they enjoy seeing others in pain and have a lack of compassion. To them, bullying is like an anger management tool, one in which they can remove their anger. Bullying can also be caused by jealousy, mental issues, or even because the bully was a victim of another bully or abused by certain family members.

All bullies have a dominating attitude and view the weak as their prey. They lack empathy, blame others, and do not accept responsibility for their actions. However, a bully is not born this way, and sometimes feels they have no choice under the influence of the environment or even certain genetic traits such as attention deficient hyperactive disorder. Children who have this disorder are more aggressive and are more likely to become bullies. Sometimes bullies are the victims of bullying themselves. According to Dr. Peter Sheras a clinical psychologist and the associate director of the Virginia Youth Violence Project at the University of Virginia, “Forty percent of bullies are themselves bullied at home or in school” (St. Clair 1).

In the 1999 Columbine High School Massacre in Denver, two students, Dylan Klebold and Eric Harris massacred about 12 students and a teacher and then killed themselves. It was later found that both of these students were previously bullied and had homophobic remarks said to them (Greenya, 102). Even though, these factors can influence bullying, it can be prevented. Bullying is a learned behavior, not a character trait. Therefore, bullies can learn to reduce their aggressiveness and handle their conflicts by engaging in other activities such as sports, or even art.

Yet Another Case of Bullying

According to a study conducted by Amanda Siebecker, a PhD at the University of Nebraska, people who were bullied repeatedly over a vast duration showed a higher level of depression compared to those who were not bullied as frequently (Siebecker 1-143). Students who are bullied repeatedly are more likely to become depressed and even have suicidal thoughts. An example that demonstrates the issue of bullying is the case of a young girl named Caroline Port. She was nine years old and had just begun a private elementary school in suburban St. Louis, when she began to wake up with night terrors, and began to sleepwalk. Her mother, Karen, met with Caroline’s teacher, only to find that her daughter was being tormented.

Karen was upset and shocked that no one informed her about what was going on in the school. What was even worse was that no one ever came to Caroline’s birthday parties or played with her. She was only seven years old when she told her mother, “I hate myself” (Paul 1). Many children as well as teenagers think that it is funny to tease or bother a person, especially if that person is different from them. In this example, a girl as young as nine years old said she hated herself. When a girl as young as Caroline says something like that, it should be evident that action needs to be taken to prevent this concern.