english,
Language, especially when used competently, is a wonderful device that allows us to communicate with and express our feelings and ideas to other people. Sadly, there are those who fail to use language to its full potential and even some who abuse the power of words. Combine that with the anonymity of the internet and you have a very powerful weapon in your hands: cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is a familiar topic for most of us. It’s when someone threatens or attacks somebody, commonly with insults, through an electronic medium such as the internet or text. One should not brush off the weight of cyberbullying. It may be entertaining for the one initiating the act, but to be verbally abused for who you are or the things that you do or did in the past is not an amusing experience. Words can hurt, they may not show, but they leave mental and emotional scars.
These scars can create unrest and can possibly lead to self-inflicted harm or a surge of confusion and self-loathing. These thoughts can keep us awake at night, make us unstable, and might possibly push usto do acts one should never think of doing to themselves. It’s only appropriate to use the word “monster” to describe those who cause this, for what is the first thing that would come into your mind in reading this word? Panic.Fear.Anxiety. These are what cyberbullying can bring to those who are on the receiving end of it.
The scariest thing of all is that we are all susceptible to becoming these monsters, whether we know it or not.
For behind a screen or a wall of text, we feel a sense of security. The ones we attack cannot retaliate physically and therefore cannot hurt us despite our intent to hurt them. When one can no longer harm the victim directly and physically, one can connect online and continue harming them from their own home. Maybe we were triggered into doing this in a fit of anger or we were misunderstanding something. There are all sorts of reasons, but that’s no excuse.
Cyberbullying doesn’t just stop. Fear prevents retaliation from the victim, for if they fight back it might just make things more complicated. The thought of the negativity around them possibly worsening can strike fear even in the strongest of hearts. The gossip or rumors meant to hurt the victim can spread around like wildfire which makes the situation significantly worse. Things like this can sensitize victims, make them paranoid, and cause them to be easily triggered even though they weren't meant to be insulted. Even things discussed in heated arguments may inadvertently disrespect them. Therefore, we must be careful and be active in battling bullying and cyberbullying.
Not only must we comfort and stand alongside those who are being bullied, we must also try to prevent ourselves from becoming the attacker and the attacked. We need to be wary of our words, be thoughtful about what we say, and be observant about the person we are talking to. What we think may be a joke may actually be a sensitive topic for them. When online, one must always have self-control. If you have offended someone, check in with the person. Apologize and recognize that you may have gone too far. Or better yet, try not to bully anyoneat all.
We must also be cautious to not get too affected with what people say to us. We must learn to detach ourselves from the screen whenever we jump back into our lives offline. But, when it does carryover into real life, we must know how to calm down and immerse ourselves with those who care about us and can help us. If we have witnessed anyone being bullied, comforting them after they have been attacked or asking how things went and helping them vent out their feelings may help in relieving them of their despair.
For if not dealt with appropriately and the victims are left to their own thoughts for too long, the fear and anxiety will creep up, consuming their daily lives. It could affect their interaction with other people, their academic standing, and push them farther down until they reach the deep floor of depression. Once it reaches that point, it could then severely affect their health:they neglect to take care of themselves, tend to self-harm, or may be pushed to the point of suicide. There have been many cases where this has happened in many places around the worldand these aren’t isolated cases that should be taken lightly.
People are starting to realize the worldwide issue that is suicide and bullying. There are so many support groups out there willing to listen and give advice to those going through tough times such as Project ; which provides help through support groups and informs people about suicide. Project ; emphasizes the use of the semicolon because a semicolon is used when a writer can end a sentence but chooses not to, saying that the story isn’t over yet. There is also thePhilippine Suicide Hotline or the “Hopeline” that was launched around September of 2016 by the Department of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF), and Globeto be able to help those in need.
So take a moment to breathe and collect yourself before thinking about going at it with someone. Take a moment to think about whether or not you should send those texts or talk publicly online about a certain person. Take a moment to consider how they would feel about what you would send them for you don’t know if that could be the start of their spiral into the darkness or the finishing lines of their story. //by Rad Pascual
Sources:
1.http://www.ibtimes.ph/hopeline-project-3-things-know-about-247-suicide-prevention-hotline-ph-3887
2.https://projectsemicolon.com/
3.https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/
Opinion: Online Monsters, Offline Scars
Language, especially when used competently, is a wonderful device that allows us to communicate with and express our feelings and ideas to other people. Sadly, there are those who fail to use language to its full potential and even some who abuse the power of words. Combine that with the anonymity of the internet and you have a very powerful weapon in your hands: cyberbullying.
Cyberbullying is a familiar topic for most of us. It’s when someone threatens or attacks somebody, commonly with insults, through an electronic medium such as the internet or text. One should not brush off the weight of cyberbullying. It may be entertaining for the one initiating the act, but to be verbally abused for who you are or the things that you do or did in the past is not an amusing experience. Words can hurt, they may not show, but they leave mental and emotional scars.
These scars can create unrest and can possibly lead to self-inflicted harm or a surge of confusion and self-loathing. These thoughts can keep us awake at night, make us unstable, and might possibly push usto do acts one should never think of doing to themselves. It’s only appropriate to use the word “monster” to describe those who cause this, for what is the first thing that would come into your mind in reading this word? Panic.Fear.Anxiety. These are what cyberbullying can bring to those who are on the receiving end of it.
The scariest thing of all is that we are all susceptible to becoming these monsters, whether we know it or not.
For behind a screen or a wall of text, we feel a sense of security. The ones we attack cannot retaliate physically and therefore cannot hurt us despite our intent to hurt them. When one can no longer harm the victim directly and physically, one can connect online and continue harming them from their own home. Maybe we were triggered into doing this in a fit of anger or we were misunderstanding something. There are all sorts of reasons, but that’s no excuse.
Cyberbullying doesn’t just stop. Fear prevents retaliation from the victim, for if they fight back it might just make things more complicated. The thought of the negativity around them possibly worsening can strike fear even in the strongest of hearts. The gossip or rumors meant to hurt the victim can spread around like wildfire which makes the situation significantly worse. Things like this can sensitize victims, make them paranoid, and cause them to be easily triggered even though they weren't meant to be insulted. Even things discussed in heated arguments may inadvertently disrespect them. Therefore, we must be careful and be active in battling bullying and cyberbullying.
Not only must we comfort and stand alongside those who are being bullied, we must also try to prevent ourselves from becoming the attacker and the attacked. We need to be wary of our words, be thoughtful about what we say, and be observant about the person we are talking to. What we think may be a joke may actually be a sensitive topic for them. When online, one must always have self-control. If you have offended someone, check in with the person. Apologize and recognize that you may have gone too far. Or better yet, try not to bully anyoneat all.
We must also be cautious to not get too affected with what people say to us. We must learn to detach ourselves from the screen whenever we jump back into our lives offline. But, when it does carryover into real life, we must know how to calm down and immerse ourselves with those who care about us and can help us. If we have witnessed anyone being bullied, comforting them after they have been attacked or asking how things went and helping them vent out their feelings may help in relieving them of their despair.
For if not dealt with appropriately and the victims are left to their own thoughts for too long, the fear and anxiety will creep up, consuming their daily lives. It could affect their interaction with other people, their academic standing, and push them farther down until they reach the deep floor of depression. Once it reaches that point, it could then severely affect their health:they neglect to take care of themselves, tend to self-harm, or may be pushed to the point of suicide. There have been many cases where this has happened in many places around the worldand these aren’t isolated cases that should be taken lightly.
People are starting to realize the worldwide issue that is suicide and bullying. There are so many support groups out there willing to listen and give advice to those going through tough times such as Project ; which provides help through support groups and informs people about suicide. Project ; emphasizes the use of the semicolon because a semicolon is used when a writer can end a sentence but chooses not to, saying that the story isn’t over yet. There is also thePhilippine Suicide Hotline or the “Hopeline” that was launched around September of 2016 by the Department of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization (WHO), Natasha Goulbourn Foundation (NGF), and Globeto be able to help those in need.
So take a moment to breathe and collect yourself before thinking about going at it with someone. Take a moment to think about whether or not you should send those texts or talk publicly online about a certain person. Take a moment to consider how they would feel about what you would send them for you don’t know if that could be the start of their spiral into the darkness or the finishing lines of their story. //by Rad Pascual
Sources:
1.http://www.ibtimes.ph/hopeline-project-3-things-know-about-247-suicide-prevention-hotline-ph-3887
2.https://projectsemicolon.com/
3.https://www.stopbullying.gov/cyberbullying/what-is-it/
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