Cyber-bullying. We've all seen the news reports of the tragic outcomes of cyber-bullying. The suicides, the depression, the cutting. It hurts me to my very core to see what one person will do to another, particularly children.
But it's not just for kids anymore. There are adults on social media who take great pleasure in bullying and hurting others. I belong to a number of social media networks and I have seen some of the most horrific behavior.
I have actually seen people bragging about cutting someone down to size, about putting someone in their place, and using names that would never be spoken in polite company. I have seen homophobia and racism cloaked in posts about religion and politics. And I have seen outright attacks on people by others who think they somehow have the right to judge.
Where does an adult get the idea that this behavior is okay? On what planet is the deliberate action of causing another human being hurt considered "cute" or "funny"? We're not talking about children here who don't yet have the life experience to know better or the emotional development to always know right from wrong. These are functioning adults who take pleasure in others' pain.
Considering these "adults"...one has to wonder what tremendous amount of misery they are living in that causes them to lash out like children. It is so sad to think that these people are so unhappy that the only happiness they find is in hurting others. That is what I think about when I see such actions and it is that thought that stays my hand when my temper flares. My only option? To remove myself from that person and their toxicity.
It's Be Nice on the Internet week. It only takes a few extra seconds to consider your words and their intended or unintended effect on people before you hit the enter button. Take those few seconds...and be kind.
Love,
Jerri
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