ISSUE: CYBER-BULLYING -- Online Assaults

Posted:  9 May 13
Reposted:  9 Aug 14

To see more life-threats and life-tools articles on this blog,
including a separate article on Bullying, in general:

please click here

1.  Purposes

1.1  To help increase awareness of the often hidden, but incredibly destructive mischief surrounding the bullying of users of today's technology.  Practical options are offered at the end of this article.

Especially vulnerable are the young and inexperienced who are exposed to great harm through such easy access into their very SOULS -- the very CENTER of their being -- on which EVERYTHING else depends -- to implant a bitter, scarring, crippling legacy there (often in secret, with no chance for mature intervention and aid). And even age and experience is no guarantee of immunity in the face of deep, unwarranted wounding -- though perspective MIGHT be easier to restore, eventually.

It is obvious that this is an insidious phenomenon.  It wouldn't be a far stretch to imagine that such cruelty may play contributing roles in the tragic school shootings and other revolting spectacles that plague us in these complicated times and subtract so mightily from their promise.  There are forces at work, here, that can surely knock lives off course -- into tragic trajectories.

1.2  To help marshal suitable public responses, which are surely necessary to take sufficient action -- for this criminality amounts to an unfair tax on the use of vital social resources, which many may even be unaware that they are paying -- for we humans are so closely and unavoidably interconnected together in a great chain-reaction.

2.  Discussion

2.1  Do you remember the children's toy, the Jack-in-the-box?  You crank the little handle, music plays "Here we go 'round the Mulberry bush," and suddenly the top door pops open and out springs a clown to startle and delight little eyes, while onlookers all say, "Pop goes the weasel!"

2.2  Now, imagine that instead of a toy clown, out pops something not to delight, but to viciously and deeply wound the victim. That's what cyber-bullying meanly does to the users of the wonderful technologies that are so important to our futures.  We find the invaluable tools, which we carry with us or place in our homes, suddenly spoiled and turned against us -- to "pop open" with nasty surprises -- corrupting the Internet blessing and our rightful enjoyment and uses of it.  It turns it into a thing of dread -- and that shouldn't be.

2.3  Worse, cyber-bullying can and does lead to unimaginable suffering and desperation in children who are attacked in this way -- and who are likely to be ill-equipped to avoid or otherwise control the consequences.  The mentally-troubled get their hands on these tools and meanly use them without any concern (or, perhaps, understanding) for the negative impacts -- doing great damage akin to physical assault (but with its own set of deep, very real, lasting, and painful psychological implications).

2.4  This is fact-of-life stuff.  No matter what good is brought into our world, there's a good chance that someone will place corrupting hands on it.  So, it should be no surprise to us that we must vigilantly and intelligently guard this gateway into the lives of the young and innocent (and the not so young) -- AND KEEP THAT SACRED REALM INVIOLATE.  Closed eyes will do nothing to make this nasty problem go away.

3.  What can be done?

3.1  Understand the problem

• Here is an important 2 May 13 story from ContraCostaTimes.com -- by Jeremy Thomas and Katy Murphy for the Oakland Tribune, entitled "Cyberbullying: Parents, school officials both search for answers."
• Here is a typically thorough Wikipedia discussion of "Cyberbullying."
• Here is a Google search for more information on "Cyberbullying."
• Here is a Google search for more sources of "Cyberbullying news." 

3.2  Survey for Solutions

• The above Contra Costa Times story also provided a link to this very useful MercuryNews.Com article, by Jeremy Thomas and Katy Murphy for the Mercury News, entitled "Cyberbullying tips, resources for parents."
• Here is a thorough treatment of the topic, by StopBullying.gov.  To see related California laws on this site, please click here.
• The Anti-Defamation League website offers resources for schools, administrators, students and families

3.3  Discuss this (with all concerned) 

until no more discussion is needed 

to fully and promptly neutralize 

this horrendous problem 

that sucks so much joy and productivity 

out of modern living -- and constitutes such a serious threat to the well-being of us all.

Hope this helps.

David Nelson




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