There is a well-meaning but equally short-sighted view that every bully is themselves hurt in some way and the bullying is a projection of that hurt on others, a coping mechanism. While I think it's important to understand that that can be the case, it's equally important to understand that it's not always the case.
Yes, some bullying is acting out to get attention, deflecting the bully's own insecurity on others. That is the kind of bullying that "ignore it" works on. But when bullying extends to larger groups of antagonists than just one person and their immediate clique of friends, is likely to be a sadistic game of oneupmanship. And I think cyber-bullying can only happen effectively under such a scenario.
Sadistic games continue to go on because the players get more pleasure than pain out of the act. Suspending them will fuel their cause, make them martyrs in the eyes of their cohorts. They have identified that nothing serious will happen to them and they can continue on.
Sadistic bullying is as much the fault of the school administration for not maintaining discipline as it is for the children who engage in it. It doesn't come out of nowhere. It doesn't just happen once. The ring-leaders are probably well known for their behavior problems. Weak leadership at the school is what allows things to get so out of hand.
The only way to stop it is to demonstrate clear, harmful consequences to anyone involved, even tangentially. But given the scenario in which it is allowed to get so bad, it probably won't be corrected because of weak leadership on behalf of the local authorities. So perhaps you can see how some people will conclude that taking matters into their own hands is the only answer.
Sorry I don't have the sources, but I've read a study once that this actually isn't true - bullies do it mainly for the boost in social status, not because they are insecure deep down inside.
I'm afraid thats something people tell themselves to feel better about it.
Yes, some bullying is acting out to get attention, deflecting the bully's own insecurity on others. That is the kind of bullying that "ignore it" works on. But when bullying extends to larger groups of antagonists than just one person and their immediate clique of friends, is likely to be a sadistic game of oneupmanship. And I think cyber-bullying can only happen effectively under such a scenario.
Sadistic games continue to go on because the players get more pleasure than pain out of the act. Suspending them will fuel their cause, make them martyrs in the eyes of their cohorts. They have identified that nothing serious will happen to them and they can continue on.
Sadistic bullying is as much the fault of the school administration for not maintaining discipline as it is for the children who engage in it. It doesn't come out of nowhere. It doesn't just happen once. The ring-leaders are probably well known for their behavior problems. Weak leadership at the school is what allows things to get so out of hand.
The only way to stop it is to demonstrate clear, harmful consequences to anyone involved, even tangentially. But given the scenario in which it is allowed to get so bad, it probably won't be corrected because of weak leadership on behalf of the local authorities. So perhaps you can see how some people will conclude that taking matters into their own hands is the only answer.