Bullying

It seems to have become a fad to be mean to people. Somehow my generation slept through or otherwise mocked the truly important phrase "Do onto others as you would like them do onto you." I have witnessed bullying, taunting, and teasing as a source of laughter more than I could have ever imagined considering how much we are taught to do the opposite. Sadly, I have even taken part in this disgusting activity, and that is probably what brings me to write this. Since a youtube video called "Drive-by Insults" became popular in the small town I live in, it has been one of the younger population's favorite thing to do. Calling people names such as slut, whore, pedofile, faggot, and so much worse has become more and more accepted. When I watched the video, I found myself laughing along. My dad even laughed. Watching obnoxious teenage boys do obscene things can be kind of funny sometimes. But the example set isn't worth it. To go out and actually say those things, as I and many of my friends have done for entertainment, is wrong. Anybody with the slightest posession of empathy wouldn't be able to do such a thing. When I look back on it, had I even allowed myself to think about how that person I had insulted must be feeling, I wouldn't be able to live with my guilt. That's why I just can't do it anymore. I can't stand treating or seeing people being treated that way. It disgusts me.
And it's so true that the teaser is lacking security in him/herself. When teasing, aren't we really trying to build ourselves up? Not only is it done to laugh, but also to be funny, which is mostly a call for attention. People feel important/lifted when others find them funny. Unfortunately, making fun of people has become the easiest way to accomplish this. The consequences of the seemingly harmless act leads to life-long detrimental problems in victims: lack of self-esteem, fear, lack of confidence, anxiety, etc. These side-effects, when extreme, can lead to severe psychological problems and even suicide, the second most common cause of death in teens. Really, was that second of enlightenment drawn from another's suffering worth it?