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A GST On Bullying And Social Opprobrium
AngelHedgie
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
So, in the SCOTUS thread, there's been a bit of a discussion about what, exactly bullying is in a social context. Allow me to plant my flag with Hedgie's Personal Definition Of Bullying:
What that means for me is that the use of social pressure against a person or group is not bullying - bullying requires the aspect of abuse and oppression. Or to put it another way, a group applying negative pressure against someone for being transgender is absolutely bullying - but a group placing negative pressure on an abuser is not. And yes, this does get complicated in the more gray areas - for example, when dealing with former abusers who are going through genuine rehabilitation via contrition, atonement, growth, and penance, how others should work with them socially is complicated (observers should give them some leeway in my opinion, but their victims and those who have been harmed in similar ways should not be obliged to (and part of their contrition is accepting that their victims may never forgive them.))
Ultimately, social pressure is a tool, and that tool can be wielded for good or ill - and that changes everything.
Bullying in a social context is the use of social pressure and opprobrium with the intent of abuse and oppression.
What that means for me is that the use of social pressure against a person or group is not bullying - bullying requires the aspect of abuse and oppression. Or to put it another way, a group applying negative pressure against someone for being transgender is absolutely bullying - but a group placing negative pressure on an abuser is not. And yes, this does get complicated in the more gray areas - for example, when dealing with former abusers who are going through genuine rehabilitation via contrition, atonement, growth, and penance, how others should work with them socially is complicated (observers should give them some leeway in my opinion, but their victims and those who have been harmed in similar ways should not be obliged to (and part of their contrition is accepting that their victims may never forgive them.))
Ultimately, social pressure is a tool, and that tool can be wielded for good or ill - and that changes everything.
XBL: Nox Aeternum / PSN: NoxAeternum / NN:NoxAeternum / Steam: noxaeternum
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If you think Justice Roberts was swayed by public pressure, the media, peer pressure, social pressure, a phone call from Harlan Crow relayed by Thomas, or anything else, use those words. Everyone in the SCOTUS thread that claims that what happens to Roberts isn't bullying because of the power disparity is, ironically, supporting my position while trying to correct me.
This is what is horrifying to me: Not that Roberts was pressured into voting one way over another, but rather that it was casually described as "bullying works". Because that attitude will lead to real bullying occuring for the same justification.
I could see using tough love to eventually have the person be stronger and more secure once they come out the other side, but I've seen what happens when these approaches fail - you just do harm. I'm not strong enough to accept I'm going to harm a lot of people before I can guarantee harsh methods work.
Doc: That's right, twenty five years into the future. I've always dreamed on seeing the future, looking beyond my years, seeing the progress of mankind. I'll also be able to see who wins the next twenty-five world series.
And if you've ever heard people who need to be on social media for their jobs talk about what people say and how it affects them, the idea that it's fine and/or doesn't matter actually if they are more famous or successful then me rings pretty hollow too. Yeah, "bullying works". In that it works the same way it does anywhere else.