Bullying.

I am absolutely disgusted with bullying. People are literally killing themselves over the things people say. It's extremely sad. There are one of two things at play:

1. Kids have gotten meaner. Their parents have apparently not taught them to respect others and show kindness. Or, more likely, they are the ones who have inadvertently taught their children to bully in the first place. People have got to realize that kids are like sponges. They soak in everything we say and do. Gossiping about your gay neighbors? They heard it. Making comments about your black boss? Heard that too. Chatting about muslim 'terrorists' who work at the gas station? You can bet they were listening. Children don't come up with the idea to pick on people on their own. They get it from us--adults--who are supposed to be their role models, by the way. How many kids and teens have to go through the torture of constant bullying before people wake up and realize that they are ruining people's lives?

OR

2. Kids are far too soft these days. We live in a 'feel good' society where anything goes. Parents have raised their children in a plastic bubble, and once the school children burst that bubble, it's all over. Kids come home crying because so-and-so called them names. What do we do? We comfort them, tell them that child is mean and it's not true. It's not like bullying didn't exist when we were young? However, all of the sudden, it's a huge deal. I believe the kids are genuinely upset, but why? Have their parents never taught them any defense mechanisms for dealing with bullies? I grew up in a world where if someone hit me, I could hit them back (although I never would, with the exception of my brother). It's called defending yourself. The same goes for violence through words. Bullies never stop bullying. All the money spent on PSAs and public school programs to stop bullying would be better spent on teaching kids how to deal with bullies--not how to avoid them. I can speak from experience that those anti-bullying programs don't really work. Yes--they hear the message, but do they maintain it? Do they act on what they learned? Not really. They have about half an hour of 'feel good' time with the anti-bullying teacher, and then it's back to picking on everyone again. The problem isn't (just) bullies. A major part of the problem is a world full of teenagers and kids who have no idea how to defend themselves.

Honestly, I think the big issue here is a combination of both of these things. Regardless, it makes me very sad thinking about children and teenagers feeling as though their lives are in a terrible downward spiral. That's a tough spot for any kid.