The eighth floor

[Viv]

Aled's BBC Wales bullying TV show will be going out in October!! Great stuff.

Pity this isn't on BBC 1 or 2, so we can all sit and watch.

[me_54m]

Will it not be on one of the 900+ channels on virgin/sky?

[Viv]

Hmmm. Yes. Yes. I guess so. Oops.

[Aled]

And on BBC Headroom website, and Surgery site and iPlayer generally

[MissCorsham]

Wow, sounds interesting. Will have to watch, see if it helps me finally get rid of my school bullys.

[Viv]

I know. It's fascinating the way these kind of programmes can clear out your brain!!

[Aled]

It won't get rid of bullies I'm afriad. Bullying is going to happen everywhere - in every school, college, university and work place.

It's about knowing why people bully, what's the best thing to do when it does happen and what you can do to minimise your chances of being bullied.

[John]

Sad, but true.

One of the biggest forms of bullying today is online. People sending nasty facebook messages, and on IM. And then there is of course text messages.

Thing is, kids are cruel. And I don't think they have a concept of what is considered harmful, and just a bit of fun. If maybe they did, it would cut alot of bullying out.

As a parent though, I'm dreading, and looking forward to Alfie starting school in equal measure. Its only going to be about 2 years away, which isn't very long, and I really dread him either being bullied or becoming a bully.

[Jono]

It must be difficult for parents to accept that sort of thing too. I often think that they take it as a criticism of their parenting. Some times that is the case, but there are often times when it isn't.

[MissCorsham]

what you can do to minimise your chances of being bullied.

Surely the only way to minimise being bullied is either to not be different in any way or by being one of the bullys. I don't see what else can be done to help the situation, theres no generalisable answer because they all can backfire.

[Viv]

Surely the only way to minimise being bullied is either to not be different in any way or by being one of the bullys. I don't see what else can be done to help the situation, theres no generalisable answer because they all can backfire.

Yeah, but why shouldn't you be different if you choose to be so.... if everyone looked the same, it would be so boring.

I was bullied today, in a cycle shop on an Island no less - this silly female called me "Sir", and I'm bloody certain she did it on purpose. Like I've posted elsewhere, how many guys go about in cami tops and purple bras!! Also, after I left the shop, she seemed to have chosen this moment to take her break, and follow me outside, stood beside me at a wall, and didn't say a word!! It was quite odd. The stubborn side of my brain had kicked in at this point though, and I refused to move, and she left again. But this is an example of someone being just randomly difficult for no reason whatsoever.

Why do females have to be so nasty to other females?

Also, when I was half way round the Island, I had spotted an ice-cream van, bought an ice, and was lying flat on my back stuffing my face, when someone passing on another cycle shouted "Greedy pig". I mean, what gives people the right to start commenting, or think you have to look to them for approval.

A former boss once told me that you should always try to look confident, even if you don't feel it, so maybe that's the trick to beating the bullies?? Such a difficult thing, it really is.

Loving your post, Kizmok, esp. the quote at the end!! Love it!!

[MissCorsham]

Yeah, but why shouldn't you be different if you choose to be so.... if everyone looked the same, it would be so boring.

But what happens when you don't choose to be different, I was bullied thoughout school for being allergic to nylon and polyester, I've always had to have a different uniform to everyone else because of it. They was nothing I could do but take their "You're not allowed to wear those trousers at school, are you too poor to afford proper ones?"

[Viv]

God, I don't know. I wish I had an answer to this?? Bullied for being allergic to nylon and polyester!! It's ridiculous.

[Viv]

Great points, Kizmok. It's still difficult though, if there's a lot of people doing the bullying!! One bully is bad enough, but a number of bullies is horrendous. I hate what I call the "Silent Bullying" - girls are bad for this. It's the kind of bullying where people just make eyes at one another when a person speaks. The silent treatment "thing".... that can be worse than a smack in the mouth somehow.

ps: check out my Island pictures, uploaded now!!

pps: you know the thing where this Site connects to similar topics, well, one of the suggestions is the "Apollo Moon Landing" - how funny is that!! :hahaha:

[Viv]

You know, another thing I've often wondered about is the reluctance by people in authority to deal with bullies - I mean, in the workplace, or at school, etc. Very often the victim is the one who gets the blame. There seems to be a reluctance by people in authority to take a stand.

[MissCorsham]

It happens a lot of the time where it starts really small and not worth noting and just forgotten about and then builds up. Parents and Teachers don't get involved until its already going far to far. Bullying is in the eye of the person bearing it. Its not just how bad it looks from the outside, it depends how the person can deal with it, which can't be measured. Pah I will have to stop the rant now.

[Emma]

Oooh this looks like a really good programme actually. I'd like to see what exactly it is that makes people bully. Some things are pretty obvious I think, but it'd be interesting to see the psychological reasons behind the actions. I think it's such a stereotype that all bullies some from a broken home with a shattered background/upbringing. The bullies who targeted me seemed to be from decent, respectable backgrounds so maybe this programme will put into perspective other reasons as to why they do it. Ever since year six until year eleven I was bullied - often by single groups, often by multiple groups merged as one big one. Horrible!

I agree with Aled in that the programme won't eradicate bullying - it's always going to be around. The only factor which can get rid of bullying is the bully itself - they're the only ones who can put a stop to it. No-one else can, it's purely down to them.