The anti-bullying movement has been popular for many years. Many preach anti-bullying and to be nice to everyone no matter what, but what happens when they don’t practice what they preach? Even though some preach for this movement, they may be different in reality.
Through social media posts, campaigning and outwardly being a nice person, people can put out a false narrative about themselves that doesn’t exactly match to their private actions. To the public eye, these people may seem like kind and loving people. While in private, they are the exact opposite.
They could even be publicly preaching anti-bullying and participating within the movement. It’s largely seen on social media. With different hashtags and posts of “be kind” that can be posted doesn’t always mirror who that person truly is.
Bullying can come in many different forms. The actions of bullying can be verbal, physical, social or cyber. These actions don’t always have to be direct, like hitting or insulting someone. They can also be indirect. Spreading rumors or specifically excluding someone just because they are different would be considered a kind of indirect bullying. Bullying can cause large and sometimes irreversible mental or physical harm to somebody.
Bullying can happen to anybody and everybody. Even a small comment can impact somebody’s self-confidence and ruin their day. Types of verbal bullying may directly harm someone’s mental state. These things can cause them to directly harm themselves and in extreme cases it can cause suicide. Often the people who bully others are usually looking for a sense of control and may be looking for a power trip by picking on someone they deem lower than them. Whether it’s somebody whom you used to be close with that is weaponizing things you trusted them with against you or someone that may view you as less, a bully is still a bully.
It’s common to see people not practice what they preach, though that doesn’t make it any less disappointing. Making a point to say that you should be kind to everyone, while directly going against that is hypocritical. Many bullies don’t face repercussions, whether it’s because their social status protects them or just because they haven’t been caught. Often they don’t normally face serious consequences from what they are putting other people through.
Some people may make their bullying seem minor, with snide remarks that maybe only the person they are targeting would understand. While authority figures may sugarcoat it to make it seem like not a big deal or brush it aside.
While some outwardly bully someone and not face consequences due to their stance in the social world.
People who tend to be more well-liked or economically well-off seem to face way fewer repercussions. Bullying is a serious issue that needs to have punishable consequences. Even though many know the impacts of bullying and preach against it, it is still a major recurring problem.
The use of false narratives and being kind of only in front of certain people, many may not even know that some are bullies. People are mean behind closed doors while they preach to the public to be kind. It’s an issue of not practicing what you preach.
