Cyberbullying- what is it really?
I went to some people at the grocery store and asked them.
"Mean words kids say on the internet"
"My older daughter actually went through cyberbullying and the actual bullying isn't a joking matter. Her life was ruined. Everyone knew her as the nerd one day, and the moment that post was out there, that was just...gone. It ruined her public image."
"Cyberbullying is bullying on the internet...but it's more than that too."
"Rude sh*t people say about others on social media."
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, cyberbullying is
: the act of bullying someone through electronic means (as by posting mean or threatening messages about the person online)
People think that others are just people. They think that their rude, degrading post on social media (which believe it or not, includes Wattpad) doesn't affect someone else.
After all, words are just words...right?
Wrong. Words are not just words. People are not just people.
People are more than that.
They are an intricate structure of bones, muscles, skin, and more.
They write, they think, they feel. They do so much, but in one small post, they can ruin someone's life.
The one that they had worked so hard to build.
Their life comes crashing down
People in power just don't understand.
They rule from a throne made of the empty feelings of the one's that they have ruined.
One. Simple. Post.
Their few words that sting are read by their own, brainwashed followers. Those followers hit that "like" button, or the "retweet" button.
And as if like magic, hundreds of people see and spread that not-so-lovely message.
And not one of them stops it.
Not. A. Single. One.
They may be too scared of the original poster.
Scared of becoming a target.
But others may not be afraid; they just want some popularity.
Cyberbullying can happen to anyone. The question is, will you stop it?
