Bullying links
Feb. 14th, 2014 01:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dreamer_easyI often remark that bullying in the social justice community will not solve social justice problems. Apparently, trainee doctors can face the same kinds of victimisation as struggling allies*: insults, tirades, public shaming. In this "culture of disrespect", hospital staff learn to keep their mouths shut to avoid further abuse - to the detriment of patients.
In my last posting, I referred to "legitimate anger" to try to distinguish the rage, hurt, and frustration of oppressed people from the opportunistic malice of bullies, but![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
lynsaurus rightly raised the question of who gets to decide whose anger is "legitimate". Thinking over it, and in the light of that article about doctors, I think anger is a red herring; the real issue is respect. I don't mean niceness or even basic courtesy. I suppose I mean the difference between assertiveness and aggression - the difference between attacking someone's words or actions, and attacking their self-esteem.
Other stuff:
Why You Should Think Twice Before Shaming Anyone on Social Media: because it may cost their job... and yours.
Children bullied in school may have more problems as adults. You don't say.
The Atlantic discusses a study on slut-shaming by women and indirect and direct aggression by women and men in general.
Bullying targets are told to "just ignore it". Since this doesn't work, here are some alternatives, addressing the "trolling" of women online: a column from Jezebel suggests: Don't Ignore the Trolls. Feed Them Until They Explode; and similarly, from the SMH, Duly noted: online abuse will not silence women.
From September last year: Bullied school student Jazmine Oyston has damages payout increased
Another alternative to just putting up with it: Indiana mom sends son to school with stun gun to confront bullies. Her son was expelled; she and he successfully sued the school.
ETA: Bullies and trolls are not automatically the same thing, but there's a lot of overlap in their motivations, their behaviour, and their effect on online communities. So this glimpse into the unpleasant troll mind is worth considering. (A spot of Googling reveals that experts are starting to study the same personality traits in adult bullies.)
* I hate this word, but it's the correct one here. Who makes a tastier target for bullying than a progressive whose own conscience can be turned into a weapon against them?
In my last posting, I referred to "legitimate anger" to try to distinguish the rage, hurt, and frustration of oppressed people from the opportunistic malice of bullies, but
lynsaurus rightly raised the question of who gets to decide whose anger is "legitimate". Thinking over it, and in the light of that article about doctors, I think anger is a red herring; the real issue is respect. I don't mean niceness or even basic courtesy. I suppose I mean the difference between assertiveness and aggression - the difference between attacking someone's words or actions, and attacking their self-esteem.Other stuff:
Why You Should Think Twice Before Shaming Anyone on Social Media: because it may cost their job... and yours.
Children bullied in school may have more problems as adults. You don't say.
The Atlantic discusses a study on slut-shaming by women and indirect and direct aggression by women and men in general.
Bullying targets are told to "just ignore it". Since this doesn't work, here are some alternatives, addressing the "trolling" of women online: a column from Jezebel suggests: Don't Ignore the Trolls. Feed Them Until They Explode; and similarly, from the SMH, Duly noted: online abuse will not silence women.
From September last year: Bullied school student Jazmine Oyston has damages payout increased
Another alternative to just putting up with it: Indiana mom sends son to school with stun gun to confront bullies. Her son was expelled; she and he successfully sued the school.
ETA: Bullies and trolls are not automatically the same thing, but there's a lot of overlap in their motivations, their behaviour, and their effect on online communities. So this glimpse into the unpleasant troll mind is worth considering. (A spot of Googling reveals that experts are starting to study the same personality traits in adult bullies.)
* I hate this word, but it's the correct one here. Who makes a tastier target for bullying than a progressive whose own conscience can be turned into a weapon against them?
