Long term health benefits of bullying

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Now all we have to do is emphasize the positive health benefits of being a bully, and then social conservatives will suddenly support anti-bullying programs.

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No, they’ll explain that beng bullied is an irresponsible lifestyle choice, and it’s wrong to expect good responsible Americans who were never bullied, and may have been bullies, to pay for the health care of irresponsible anti-Americans who were bullied, much like they say about being disabled, etc.

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When individuals are able to directly impair the health of others, and gain a health benefit for themselves as a result, I call that a kind of partial cannibalism. You might could even make an evolutionary case for it, the way it works for these frogs:

But I would much rather we just collectively decide to cut that shit right out.

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I do think schools could do a better job of teaching kids that although making things fair is good and all, that life is not fair and that’s the game you actually get to play.

it seems like we could lessen the impact if we cut the PC crap of “you shouldn’t bully people, it’s not nice” and deal with the reality, the same way we chastise conservatives for telling kids “you shouldn’t do drugs” or “you shouldn’t have sex.” These are all functions of humanity that have happened since the dawn of mankind and will continue whether we like it or not. Considering this news that the bullies actually have a health incentive to continue bullying, I think we’re going to have to start dealing with this issue more as a given rather than “that is not allowed.”

As a lay person, it would seem that explaining how people like to be assholes and that it isn’t your fault as a victim, that it’s “them not you,” might allow the victim some clarity, some presence of mind to cope with and address any bullying they may encounter? And those predisposed to bullying might possibly gain some self-awareness if their classroom were taught about the underlying need to compensate, that putting someone down in order to feel better about oneself is fundamentally a reflection on their own failings? Just saying “Bullying is bad, m’kay” is, if anything, an incentive.

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What about those of us who were bullied by some kids and who bullied other kids?

What about us?!?

Amazing. My son’s martial arts training was strongly anti-bullying. Who knew his sensei was harming his health? I’m letting him know he has years of catching up to do.

Those are actually mentioned in the article as something that was studied, but there’s no mention of the results for non “Pure” bullies (and no link to the study itself).

Also… blah blah blah correlation causation blah blah blah.

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But a bully can also experience short term negative health consequences, especially when they end up on a YouTube video.

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I’m going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume the controlled for wealth and many elements of lifestyle. But how exactly could they have controlled for how good or ill health determines whether you are a bully or you are bullied how?

Bullies target people who are vulnerable, including people who are socially outcast and people who are physically unwell. I don’t buy this causal link at all.

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