What is a Bully?
I received a pretty strange email the other day. It doesn't matter much the topic of the email, I'm more concerned with the tone. It dealt with
I've never been bullied, as a youth, but funny thing, as
an adult I've been bullied a helluva lot. Not sure how that works from a
karmic sense, insomuch that I wasn't a bully growing up. Lately, it appears that the adults that like to bully are the ones that bully, in the name of a cause. Is bullying ok in any sense? And what is the best way for adults to handle bullying, in an "adult" manner?
Bullying has received a lot of attention in
Zionsville, with how the children and teens have made strides forward. We have new tools that we can use to speak to each other, email, FaceBook, Instagram and all other types of instant messaging. I honestly believe that these tools make it easier to poke and jab, without fear of being "hit", be it cyber-wise, verbal or physical back.
Anyway, back to my peculiar email. This person said some very mean things, didn't bother me much, because as a black male, semi-successful (as of late) business owner, my skin has and will always remain thick. They tried to insinuate that attacks that I've received personally, had much if anything to do with how I conduct myself personally or professionally.
Bullies, no matter what the age, try to take advantage of what they perceive a weakness to be. Fortunately, I understand it as such, and responded accordingly. But what if I didn't have the tact or fortitude? What if I was someone that had been pushed to that very point? How would I have had responded? Bullying is about respect. And to bully is to disrespect, but not in the way you're probably thinking.
That's a reason I'd like to be a black motivational speaker. I really believe I could make a difference.
That's a reason I'd like to be a black motivational speaker. I really believe I could make a difference.
Bullying is about respect.
Respect can mean several things. It can mean that you pay deference to a person's station in life, and show empathy to what they're experience. Or respect can mean something a bit different. It can mean that you are aware and cognisant of how that person can harm you in response to your attack. (Think mutually assured destruction) I don't think that most bullies worry about that.
Back to my email, I keep straying from that. I responded with respect, the one of empathy, not knowing what was going on in this persons life at the time, just to see how they would act. Today, like a bully in truest form, when faced head on, eye to eye, they backed up, out and away.
If I could give a lesson to kids and adults about bullying. Don't think about bullying as pushing a person around in disrespect. Approach people in the spirit of mutually assured destruction, because you never know where that other person might be going through, and they could be that loose cannon that would hit you, and very hard right back.
No comments:
Post a Comment