COLUMN: The Internet Rebrands Bullying — and Teens Pay the Price
- Kaylee Steer
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
'Bring Back Bullying' started as a meme but gained toxic steam as a way to toughen up kids
No one knew exactly when the phrase “bring back bullying” started showing up everywhere, but people began noticing it the way they notice graffiti — first on a single post, then suddenly on every corner of the internet.
Such is the way of online virality.
At first it was passed around as a joke, a sarcastic comment teens dropped on a “get ready with me” video. Social media has always loved irony, and this one seemed to catch on even faster than usual.
But, unlike many online moments, this one had real consequences.
“As a person who was bullied for years, I struggle with my self image and who I am,” Epic senior Bristol Vaughn said. “I think just having my parents understand that I was going through a lot at school would have helped.”
Bad behavior, real impact
Lately, the word “bullying” has lost its meaning. It's being thrown around as if it's a witless thing, when in reality it's a very serious and sensitive subject. According to an October article in The New York Times, some TikTok creators have tried to reframe bullying as a form of radical honesty, or a counterweight to a culture of political correctness. Some commenters clearly relished going for the jugular, while others explained it as a shift away from sensitivity and understanding.
According to the Times, the push to normalize bullying has created an atmosphere where people who wanted to be creative or expressive hesitate, wondering if they are going to be targeted next.
Those in the article who supported the trend said bullying helped them be the person they are today; others said they were the bullies, and that today's kids are too soft.
If kids today indeed need a dose of reality and some harsh treatment to form thick skins and resilience, is bullying the best way to achieve these? In my experience and that of many other people who have been bullied, the answer is a resounding no.
A personal perspective
I was a victim of cyberbullying, it completely ruined my mental health, made me self-conscious and less confident overall. Looking back, I see no silver lining to the experience. It didn't make me tougher or more resilient or more self-reliant. It just made me miserable.
The way social media has impacted so many lives in the worst ways is a large problem for the current generation. Bullying isn't always easy to see, most victims are too afraid to reach out for help; they think most adults won't believe them or that it will get worse if their bully finds out.
One-third of the globe’s youth is bullied; this ranges from as low as 7% in Tajikistan to 74% in Samoa, according to stopbullying.gov.
Adults often suggest that if you experience cyberbullying, just block the person (or people) doing it, but most teens know it's not that simple. Most cyberbullies will find ways to get in contact with the victim over and over again. Other times, parents don't understand the bully's intention to cause distress. Many parents would tell their daughters “he just likes you,” when they spoke up about a boy bullying them, which, most would agree, is a bad mindset to have and a terrible way of trying to justify the actions.
With adults' perceptions beginning to catch up with their kids' experiences, and bullying showing a decline, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, now isn't the time to refocus on the practice.
Bullying doesn't need to be brought back. It never left.
