It is one of the questions that seem easy to answer until it happens to you.
the real fact is, bullying is bullying. It dosent matter whether done in person or online because the consequences of it can be Devastating.. But, to tell the truth, personally I do not believe that they feel the same. and I do not believe that they influence people in exactly the same manner either.
As we grew up, the majority of us knew bullying as being something direct or physical. He slanders you to your face, flaunts you about, humiliates you in front of people. It’s visible. People can see it. And there are instances where one can intervene.
Physical bullying is hurtful in such a direct manner. It strikes your confidence in a hurry. It may cause you to feel insignificant to others. And there are times when you are afraid of it happening again, and the fear of it is even longer than the event.
However, there is a different with online bullying.
It’s quieter, but at the same time louder.
Through the internet, individuals utter statements that they would not make in real life. It’s that audacity that exists when someone is behind a screen. No eye contact. No immediate consequences. Words thrown around without consideration of what they mean.
And the worst part?
It doesn’t stop.
At least there is some distance with physical bullying. You come home, and you have a rest. But online bullying is with you at all times. The negativity is brought to your phone. You dream up and view it. You make attempts to forget, and it remains. Alerts, remarks, feedbacks, it is all redundant.
I have observed that a few words on the internet can remain in the heads of the person long enough. Not that they are true, but that they are constant. The repetition of anything negative makes it begin to seem real, even where it is not.
That is what makes online bullying a threat in another manner.
It is not necessarily loud but it is constant.
Does that imply that physical bullying is not so serious? Not at all.
Physical bullying may be traumatizing. It is capable of instilling fear, anxiety and even permanent emotional harm. It may influence the way one perceives him or herself and the feeling of insecurity in his or her own home.
However, when it comes to a fair comparison between the two, I believe that online bullying is overvalued at times.
It is treated by people as mere words and yet words may determine what one thinks about oneself. Language has the power to separate a person. The words may drive one to silence.
And when the people speaking are numerous at once it can be overwhelming.
Should both of them be equal then?
Myself, I believe yes, although with the realization that they work in different ways.
Physical bullying must be dealt with promptly due to the physical damage it inflicts. However, online bullying should also be given serious consideration due to the psychological impacts that it may have in the long run.
The actual issue begins when one disregards it due to the fact that it does not appear as serious on the surface.
The most significant lesson, in my case, is the following, the environment might change, and the effect is still present.
In either a face to face or online occurrence, bullying can influence how an individual views him/herself, how she/he relates to others and how she/he navigates the world.
And that is but sufficient to treat them both with that gravity with which they ought to be treated..
