TEENS: What are your views of bullying?

[ModernSocrates]

Do you think it has gotten worse or have kids gotten softer? Does social media have an effect? What can be done about bullying besides useless posters and videos? What are your opinions of gay bashing and slut shaming? Have you ever been bullied? Have you ever been the bully?

[sakurabi456]

I am just going to put it in a one worded answer, nothing can be done about bullying nobody seems to want to change. That is my opinion on bullying.

People need to learn to stuck their middle finger up, and keep it moving.

[littlegun481]

Kids have gotten softer. I'm not at all condoning bullying here, but it's a normal part of growing up that everyone has to deal with. In the end, it makes you stronger. All the anti bullying campaigns are a total waste of money, because it will never stop.

Yes I've been bullied and been a bully.

[Elevenfeet]

I was bulled for the whole of my adolescence, now I live with a mental illness and assume three types of antidepressants and neuroleptics.

[hollowAmbassador593]

It's really terrible, and I see it every day even if it isn't towards me. My elementary years in a poor slum school were full of that crap everyday - now I see it in places like my high school and online and I try to do everything I can to stop it.

Speaking of which, this whole online thing with users bullying Alexander off...it really says a lot about us as a community, and not in a good way at all. What affects one of us affects all of us, and to the people who did it: they'd better stop the hate now, forever, before it's out of control.

[Marley]

It's gotten worse, definitely.

Social media does have an effect. Last year, two classes at my school got into a fight that turned into a real life fist fight from Facebook.

To try and do something about bullying, people just have to stand up and say no. Teachers have to intervene immediately, which some don't, and kids have to be taught either self-defense for violent occasions only, or learn to just ignore it.

Gay bashing and slut shaming are just downright stupid. I would never bash someone for who they are or who someone may have slept with. It's just none of my business. Why treat someone horribly because you don't agree with what they have done?

I have said a couple of bad things to a girl in my elementary school but I have learned from it, apologized and now know a lot better. I have been bullied as well.

[Lainey]

I'm a teenager. I've been bullied before, and I switched schools. It's not bad now, it's fine (don't worry!). Has bullying gotten worse? Definitely. Before, it would be hell at school, but then when people got Facebook and Twitter and other sites, it follows you home and it's all there too. I don't think that kids are getting softer, I think kids are the same as they have been for a long time, changing only as they grow up. Social media definitely has an effect. People make so many negative comments in order to be "funny" and make themselves seem cool. When everyone does it, everyone gets hurt. It just causes anxieties and worries, in my opinion. What can be done about bullying? I think all bullies should be expelled from school or suspended. That was people would know that it's not funny. It's not cool. Gay bashing is something I noticed before I transferred a lot. It hurts when people make fun of one's sexual orientation (I'm pansexual, so I understand a bit of gay bashing, but mostly people left that alone.) Slut shaming is just as bad. People are all "ooh, they deserve it!!!" No one deserves to be bullied. No one. Ever.

[I ♥ Soulja Boy]

i think its pointless & people need to get a life. i would never bully someone because i know how it feels. but nowadays people dont care about each others feelings...

[Andy]

Bullying is awful and i first hand experience it every day. Kids have not gotten softer and sometimes the verbal is worse than the physical you shouldn't discriminate b/c of sexual prefrances and what people do in their life. Im bullied everyday for being in drama and having severe allergies. Its not cool and it needs to stop.

[DT]

It's gotten worse and kids are getting softer. I'm 15 but when I got bulled I. Just ended up. Beating up the bully I mean. That's the best way to get em to stop