The reason for bullying

[Chisti]

I am not talking about specific instances where homophobes may bully a homosexual, and so on. I am talking about the general idea of bullying - why is there bullying to begin with?

I believe it is due to the emptiness within. We fill this emptiness by bullying people and feeling a sense of power. And when this bullying takes a certain form in certain instances, we label it as racism, homophobia etc. so the real cause of bullying is emptiness, and homophobia etc. are natural consequences of such emptiness.

[Road Warrior]

That's certainly part of it, especially a psychological part. However, we must not forget our animal nature. While our mind have the ability to recognize such things as you've mentioned, our basic animal nature is still within us which is why we feel emotion. Sometimes to an extreme such as becoming very angry. While some people anger too easily for the reasons you've mentioned, we can all have off days where we're tired, hungry and frustrated to the point that some minor thing can cause a person to snap and overreact emotionally.

Even Zen masters get angry to the point where their emotions control them more than they control their emotions.

So what's the solution? The path you pointed to is a good one even though I do not believe it will work for everyone nor work all the time for individuals.

[ron4711]

I'd like to propose that Authority is the source of bullying.

Many parents and religions teach that authority not reason are what we should follow and respect. Many kids are raised without the social skills needed to convince and influence others logically. So they try to do so by the force of authority.

[Chisti]

Originally Posted by Road Warrior

That's certainly part of it, especially a psychological part. However, we must not forget our animal nature. While our mind have the ability to recognize such things as you've mentioned, our basic animal nature is still within us which is why we feel emotion. Sometimes to an extreme such as becoming very angry. While some people anger too easily for the reasons you've mentioned, we can all have off days where we're tired, hungry and frustrated to the point that some minor thing can cause a person to snap and overreact emotionally.

Even Zen masters get angry to the point where their emotions control them more than they control their emotions.

So what's the solution? The path you pointed to is a good one even though I do not believe it will work for everyone nor work all the time for individuals.

This is very interesting, since you mentioned animal nature. But that may only explain our aggression. Bullying, otoh, is somewhat different, because you could bully people for fun and not because you're angry or frustrated with them. If we're angry, we may react violently, but that's different from bullying where the victim may not have provoked the bully at all.

[Chisti]

Originally Posted by ron4711

I'd like to propose that Authority is the source of bullying.

Many parents and religions teach that authority not reason are what we should follow and respect. Many kids are raised without the social skills needed to convince and influence others logically. So they try to do so by the force of authority.

Would it be right to say that people seek authority in order that bullying may then become much easier?

[ron4711]

Originally Posted by Chisti

Would it be right to say that people seek authority in order that bullying may then become much easier?

I think that may be a part of it. But I think as children grow they ask "why?". Many parents respond "because I said so." This gives the child an impression that authority, such as their parent is unquestionable and delivered with force. Then take that further where the child may be punished with a spanking further enforces that authority is achieved through violence.

[Road Warrior]

Originally Posted by Chisti

This is very interesting, since you mentioned animal nature. But that may only explain our aggression. Bullying, otoh, is somewhat different, because you could bully people for fun and not because you're angry or frustrated with them. If we're angry, we may react violently, but that's different from bullying where the victim may not have provoked the bully at all.

Someone who bullies for fun seems to be leaning toward sadism. I think the animal nature applies since people attempt to control their environment for their own welfare. While this desire for control over one's environment means things like building a shelter, irrigating crops and eliminating predators in the area, it can also mean attempting to control fellow members of one's social group. In this case, bullying is simply a tool to "get one's way". Can't logically persuade someone to your point of view? What how many people on forums such as these quickly resort to name-calling, mocking, ridiculing or other demeaning actions in order to 1) attempt to reduce the social status of the person being attack and 2) attempt to force them to withdraw from opposing them thereby forcing a "win" by default.

This is more adult bullying. Kids tend to bully as a means to upgrade their status in the eyes of their peers (e.g. proving they are a "tough guy" and not to be messed with) and make themselves feel better by asserting dominance over another. Notice that most targets of bullies are people who are slightly different from the main group; slightly geekish, different religion (which can be marked by different dress), different dress due to economic hardship, different accent/dialect/language, different racial characteristics, etc.

[4consideration]

Originally Posted by Chisti

I am not talking about specific instances where homophobes may bully a homosexual, and so on. I am talking about the general idea of bullying - why is there bullying to begin with?

I believe it is due to the emptiness within. We fill this emptiness by bullying people and feeling a sense of power. And when this bullying takes a certain form in certain instances, we label it as racism, homophobia etc. so the real cause of bullying is emptiness, and homophobia etc. are natural consequences of such emptiness.

I am inclined to agree with you on an internal cause -- like emptiness.

I would be inclined to actually say it is an internal sense of weakness, powerlessness. It is not unusual to see someone that has been bullied become a bully themselves.

To me, it seems to be an attempt to assert externally what one is afraid is lacking internally. And, I think that there is a psychological/logical process at work where, if one is attacking another -- the other person is more vulnerable than the attacker. I think it can be a form of self-protection by choosing and establishing the battlefield.

IMO people that I observe to be truely confident and strong are rather gentle (not whimpy, just not unnecessarily aggressive.) They have no need of initiating force against another, or establishing a personal position of negativity against someone else.

[waitasec]

Originally Posted by Chisti

I am not talking about specific instances where homophobes may bully a homosexual, and so on. I am talking about the general idea of bullying - why is there bullying to begin with?

I believe it is due to the emptiness within. We fill this emptiness by bullying people and feeling a sense of power. And when this bullying takes a certain form in certain instances, we label it as racism, homophobia etc. so the real cause of bullying is emptiness, and homophobia etc. are natural consequences of such emptiness.

i agree.
bullying comes from overcompensating ones lack of ability to overcome
insecurity and fear

[Reptillian]

Originally Posted by waitasec

i agree.
bullying comes from overcompensating ones lack of ability to overcome
insecurity and fear

True, to quote Seneca - "All cruelty springs from weakness"