[queasy27]

Is bullying more prevalent now, or simply more widely reported? What was your experience growing up?

My elementary and high school years were in the 50s-60s and I swear, I was never bullied or knew anyone who was. The most I can recall is kids sometimes calling me "Laurel and Hardy" because my name is Laurel. Was I just lucky and/or oblivious, or is the problem really much worse now? If so, why? Cyberbullying is new since the Internet, of course.

[DianeM]

I don't believe bullying is something new . Kids are cruel and always have been. They just have more ways of bullying now with the internet being faceless. I think it's just being reported more now so we hear about it more. I went to school in the 60s and you learned to take care of yourself and take no-nonsense.

[jblum315]

Originally Posted by queasy27

Is bullying more prevalent now, or simply more widely reported? What was your experience growing up?

My elementary and high school years were in the 50s-60s and I swear, I was never bullied or knew anyone who was. The most I can recall is kids sometimes calling me "Laurel and Hardy" because my name is Laurel. Was I just lucky and/or oblivious, or is the problem really much worse now? If so, why? Cyberbullying is new since the Internet, of course.

I don't know. I was in school at that same time. I remember boys fighting but mostly fair fights. There were a number of kids in my school who were "different" in various ways but they weren't ridiculed or picked on. Most kids acquired nicknames but bot mean or nasty ones. I would have to conclude that bullying is much worse now, also disrespect for teachers etc.

[Cedwards38]

I'm in my 60's and when I was in elementary school there was plenty of what would be described as bullying. You either stood up to it or your took it. Times are no different today. It's all part of human nature as many try to assert themselves over others.

[redwitch]

I'm in the class that thinks bullying has always been around. I loved going to Africa and the Middle East. While I was different from the other kids, they were curious but never cruel. I was basically ignored in Japan and China. The best was Singapore. Here, England, Europe was ugly, with the USA being the worst.

[Madelaine Amee]

I think bullying in one form or another has always been around. My parents were teachers and I used to dread anyone finding out because I would be taunted unmercifully - what they did not know was that if I messed up in school, I would get it twice when I got home for disgracing the family. I don't remember any real fist fights, but then I did not live in the inner city. Plus, the teachers had the ability to handle any problems within the school, not like now when their hands are tied.

[Taltarzac725]

Saw a lot of bullying in Menomonee Falls, WI; Reno, Nevada, and Minnesota schools. This includes Law School at the University of Minnesota but that was part of the Socratic Method and the culture of law school in general. Breaking down people to build them up seemed to be a mantra in law school.

My Mom was sick when I was in her womb with some kind of flu so I had a lot of speech and coordination problems. I had to go through various kinds of therapy and do remember the "retarded" kind of taunts in Wisconsin. This made me quite social awkward.

Anyone who is different in some way or another probably gets bullied in cultures that cherish the norm. It seems to also depend on how well you can perceive such bullying as it may be a lot more subtle in other countries.

[njbchbum]

Bullying has always been around. As has been noted, kids took it and/or stood up to it. Today's response is to cry 'I'm a victim!" which has brought about greater awareness but done little to eliminate it.

Have you read some of the responses on TOTV? Some folks have not outgrown bullying!

[graciegirl]

Originally Posted by njbchbum

Bullying has always been around. As has been noted, kids took it and/or stood up to it. Today's response is to cry 'I'm a victim!" which has brought about greater awareness but done little to eliminate it.

Have you read some of the responses on TOTV? Some folks have not outgrown bullying!

Bullying has been used to describe a number of people on this forum who agree on an issue " ganging up" on someone in a debate. Usually that means that the folks who disagreed made a valid point.

I see bullying as and attempt to hurt, degrade, ridicule and mock someone just because you want power and because you want to be hateful and mean.

Sometimes people harp and harp and harp on negative issues that are to me not valid. I would hate for just one older person to miss out on the joy I am having because someone portrayed this place incorrectly.

I never dreamed that I would enjoy life at the age of 75 as much or more as when I was 12.

Sometimes I get so annoyed with someone on here I don't like myself. I hope to heaven that I have not bullied someone, but I know I might have.

Thank heavens we are all outspoken enough to stop things when they are getting out of hand.

[fromct]

I was bullied quite a bit in high school (1960's), mostly for being skinny, four-eyes and getting good grades. This happened in NY as well as New Orleans. I do know that the bullying made me a stronger and more confident person. My daughter was bullied in high school (1980's) and she agrees that it taught her to be stronger and to treat others with respect. My grandchildren have been bullied (recently), as well. The school policy is to notify the parents and punish the whole class. The bully barely suffers any personal consequences, the entire class retaliates, and no lesson of respect or proper social behavior is learned.

[CFrance]

There was lots of bullying in my elementary school. Not so much in high school. I was bullied once in elementary school when I was a newbie. The only thing it taught me was to hate going to school for a while.

Our son was bullied in middle school. We had gone from a semi-midwest benign attitude to the more assertive East Coast atmosphere. It didn't teach him anything either!

I'm happy to say he got over it. Being good at sports helped a lot.

Neither school would do anything about it. One even tried to expel him when a kid attacked him on the basketball court, and he refused to fight back. They said they were both fighting. A friend of his told me a different story. I pitched an almighty fit with the principal, and they interviewed classmates (which they should have done to begin with) and exonerated him.

Some kids can take it, and some kids can't. Depends on their personality. But you have to be your child's advocate, because even now the schools don't quite know how to handle it.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by Cedwards38

I'm in my 60's and when I was in elementary school there was plenty of what would be described as bullying. You either stood up to it or your took it. Times are no different today. It's all part of human nature as many try to assert themselves over others.

I totally agree. There was plenty of bullying back in the day.
When I was very young, a girl in our class was nicknamed Monkey by one of the boys.
I'm sad to say, I didn't think twice about it at the time. Looking back, I can see that it was horribly cruel and unfair.
When I was in grade school, a girl used to wait outside the school and chase me home everyday.
Luckily I could run really fast!
In high school, we became friends and shopped for prom dresses together.
I have no idea to this day what prompted her to chase me.
I think we took bullying as a fact of life. Plus the teachers had a lot more power to discipline belligerent kids.
And of course Social Media has enabled bullies to take it to a new level -- I don't envy kids these days.