The Nature of Bullying
The Nature of Bullying
Over the past few years it has become increasingly fashionable to take offence at people and situations where bullying occurs yet most choose to forget that bullying has been a socio-political tool for so long that it has become normalised.
Ever since humankind embraced selfishness, bullying has been the way to placate a disturbed mind, the way to achieve power, fame and fortune. The entire ethos of Western civilisation has evolved through bullying initially by dominating one’s family and immediate neighbours. Having achieved a position of power over others which naturally feels the mind of such a person with ideals of grandeur often tainted with guilt, the next step is the domination of the world.
This is at the root of colonialism as in 1493 the Pope asserted rights to colonize, convert, and enslave others as non-Catholics were not human. The colonialists were terrorists and are now infamous for bullying, raping, killing, looting and cultural genocide. The entire world suffered yet the mentality lives on in every bully today.
It is entirely through the art of bullying that much of modern civilisation functions, the use of the carrot and the stick. Without bullying, what we know as Western civilisation would never have spread to all corners of the globe and it is entirely probable that many scientific achievements that we take for granted may never have happened.
At an official or should we say governmental level, bullying is actively encouraged to ensure the behaviour of the population. Those people who appear to be bullying are singled out and often punished yet the administrations that govern society, and by their very nature, bully to enforce various social policies and procedures, often in the name of fair-play with various levels of punishment for those considered as wrongdoers.
The root of bullying is a sense of deep and inconsolable unhappiness which leads to what is a form of psychotic behaviour. This unhappiness is often buried in the mind of the experiencer which then manifests in a range of irrational desires of which bullying is one of the most hurtful at an individual level, and damaging to the progress of civilisation.
Is there any difference between the bully in the playground and the bully in high office?
Actually there is very little except the bully in the playground and the office is acting out due to an immediate problem while bullying by the politicians is far more complicated and calculated. Whichever way, it is still part of the same fundamental problem in that there exists within all individuals concerned a lack of direct knowledge and respect for life.
At this point in history we can apply all known and even new behavioural controls, yet this only exacerbates the problem because every form of control is in fact another form of bullying. Through our social structures and governmental officers, bureaucrats, policy planners, police and military are all being trained to become more effective bullies.
I hope that I have sufficiently made the point that bullying is a form of psychosis which for the most part has been perpetuated through several thousand years of social behaviour and education. We should not forget that the ethos of many of our education systems which are ostensibly aimed at steering people towards success are in fact teaching the art of bullying disguised as competition.
Is there anything we can really do?
Bullying has been part of the human psyche and institutionalised for thousands of years so we must make some distinction as I am sure that politicians will argue for the greater good versus bullying to alleviate some personal angst. The greater good is about ensuring our collective survival but to achieve a little more sanity every individual must face up to themselves and embrace the core of their humanity rather than playing make-believe.
Since regulation is in itself a form of bullying it could be said that nothing can be done yet do something we must because given the way things are going in the world, (towards increased disasters), we obviously need to maintain the status quo in terms of political bullying yet the greater population needs to be led away from belief systems into a direct experience of life and knowing.
Some group activities within organisations such as ‘Outward Bound’ and internal culture are very useful but schools within yoga are the most useful because yoga engenders a sense of physical/mental balance and social harmony which helps to reveal the nature of what it is to be fully human.
Fighting back is also an option though education is making some small headway against the tide.
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