Bullying and Social Media

Yun mga bully ng henerasyon ko wala lang socmed to brag about their conquests, pero sa pagkakaalala ko yun ang gusto nila…makita ng ibang tao na malalakas at matatapang sila. Gusto nila yun reputasyon na “astig”, na kaya nila gawin kung ano gusto nila, na walang pwedeng magsabi na mahina sila.

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These days, bullies have other instruments to perpetuate fear, and to showcase their strength, which is through cyberspace or social media. I believe that Atenean who was bullying his schoolmates agreed to the filming of his acts by other people because precisely he wanted to prove he was absolutely, unequivocably fearless. He knew and he wanted other people outside of the live audience to see exactly what he can do. It was part of the bullying that he did. It was not a fight. It was not square. The act was a malicious use of strength and power in order to further humiliate and destroy his victim, and that kid needs to know it. He needs to face the consequences for all of his actions… including the social media backlash.

I have read online comments that show concern that the bully might be driven to depression and possibly suicide after all the cyber activity surrounding his behavior. I agree, but I also believe given this awareness, the people responsible for him, i.e. his parents, mentors and guardians, should be more vigilant and take more active roles in educating him and rearing him.

Expulsion is the right penalty for the benefit of the institution’s integrity and the child’s welfare. It is the correct lesson. If he was an adult it would have been jail time. He needs to realize the gravity of his mistake. Expulsion does not equate to removing from him the chance to change – there are other schools and other venues for him to get a good education, but Ateneo’s final lesson for him should be this – BEING STRONG DOES NOT GIVE YOU PERMISSION TO HURT THE WEAK. BEING POPULAR DOES NOT EQUAL RESPECT.

I am sorry for the kids who were bullied. The humiliation may have also tripled for them after the videos went viral. It is incredibly complex being a victim of bullying – the emotional and psychological trauma it entails. I hope you all receive the right amount of support as well. Speaking up is just as brave as fighting back. It shows you are brave enough to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else – and protecting others, even people you don’t know, is a demonstration of strength. And asking for help is not a sign of weakness, instead it shows self-awareness and your faith in your community.