Cyber Bullying: The New Epidemic?

[Swamps]

Recently, some of us interacted in another thread about Bullying, and touched briefly on the affects it has on individuals. Not long after the Internet was released to the Public for leisure use, bullying has found its way into Cyberspace. Everyone who has ever entered a chat room, internet forum, or social media websites has seen individuals ganging up on other individuals for one reason or another. This has even gone so far as seeing people post videos of other individuals to have them ridiculed for their own entertainment. Also, have you ever read YouTube comments? I swear I lose more and more faith in humanity every time I scroll down and see the crap people post.

Recently, there have been more and more individuals taking their own lives due to the pressures of cyber bullying. Some of these incidents have even made main stream headlines. Personally, I think that cyber bullying is cowardly, and the individuals who commit these acts are truly pathetic individuals with low self-esteem. Every time I see some punk post a comment ridiculing a dead person, or even posting a YouTube video insulting that person, I get sick in my stomach. Social Media and Internet forums have, unfortunately, opened up doors to cowardly individuals to antagonize, stalk, and harass other patrons of the sites.

As a matter of fact, this is the main reason I had stopped posting on other forums (Let me be clear, I am by no means referring to Punks) because of the constant individuals following myself and others around in other threads. In 2006, I was banned from one forum for going off on one of these trolls on a totally different forum, and after I was banned from both forums, this jack ass followed me and a few others over to another forum that no longer exists. Anyway, this guy’s IP was banned from that forum and luckily, I’ve never had to read his crap ever again. Individuals like that couldn’t beat their ways out of a wet paper bag, but a keyboard seems ti give them some false courage.

I also want to be clear, I do not think that trolls who cause issues themselves, and get blasted by a few people on a forum are bullied. If you start a problem or put your two cents into something that does not concern you, then don’t get butt hurt when people retaliate.

Anyway, I’ve rambled on enough, so I would like to hear (or read, you bunch of smart asses ) what you guys have to say on the topic. Would anyone care to share stories, opinions, etc?

 

[Wang Chung]

Well bullying has been around for a long ass time. Probably from the first caveman laughing at his fellow caveman because he had a bigger for head or looked like a wimp to him or he couldn't drag his female the right way, but I do agree that with the Internet and social media that cyber bullying now goes to far. People can't escape it now. Since we live in a time where everyone is constantly on the phone all the time. Hell I see people texting each other while sitting on a couch with that individual. In the past you could go home from school, work, or other activities and not have to worry about being bullied but now we see it all the time and it makes things worse. With Facebook and Twitter people tend to make it worse for everyone else without thinking it was something that they shouldn't do and it stays there forever. Hell now you can summon text messages, Facebook posts, and tweets when going to court. Once on the Internet always on the internet.

Not sure how to fix the problem other than teaching kids how to handle things better but we know have a society of over sensitive pansies who can't handle things well and that created a whole other discussion as well. So I am not sure what the solution really is other than educating your kids and helping them deal with these issues in a better manner and how to cope with issues as well.

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