The bullying thing is near and dear to my heart since I was a "farm kid" and it seemed that my freshman year in high school was dominated by the bullying of others, one in particular, but since this is a public sort of place, no names. You could probably guess.
Twenty or more years after high school, a woman told my mother about her son being bullied and she claimed that I intervened on his behalf. I don't remember it at all.
Before that, there was "freshman initiation," the institutionalization of bullying. We have come a ways, at least.
Maybe we will create an identity for you--"Headline Gerry." Not very snappy, maybe something better?
Bob, As always, thanks for your comments. I continue to hope that someone else might join in.
In the past, a couple of my Brazilian friends left comments, but I was gone so long, they may not even know I've been posting again. Alexandre? Felipe? Are you there?
I want to resist that identification. Headline Gerry doesn't excite me.
Just as I want don't want my epitaph to be what someone once suggested: "He Was Prompt."
A curious example of life's wonders: the bullying you refer to was obviously important and significant to you, so much so that you assume you don't even need to name names. In fact, I haven't a clue, and didn't know you ever had that experience.
I find it perfectly believable that you intervened to stop the bullying of someone else in HS. It fits with my memories of you.
Most of HS is a blur to me, and has been for years. I remember nothing about freshman initiation. I am, however, haunted by memories of hell week at the university....not haunted by my memories as a victim, but by my memories as a perpetrator. It fits with my understanding of "the banality of evil," as Hannah Arendt described.
3 comments:
The bullying thing is near and dear to my heart since I was a "farm kid" and it seemed that my freshman year in high school was dominated by the bullying of others, one in particular, but since this is a public sort of place, no names. You could probably guess.
Twenty or more years after high school, a woman told my mother about her son being bullied and she claimed that I intervened on his behalf. I don't remember it at all.
Before that, there was "freshman initiation," the institutionalization of bullying. We have come a ways, at least.
Maybe we will create an identity for you--"Headline Gerry." Not very snappy, maybe something better?
First sentence should say "bullying from others" because I was the recipient.
Typical poor use of the language, but you should be familiar with that by now, Gerry.
Bob, As always, thanks for your comments. I continue to hope that someone else might join in.
In the past, a couple of my Brazilian friends left comments, but I was gone so long, they may not even know I've been posting again. Alexandre? Felipe? Are you there?
I want to resist that identification. Headline Gerry doesn't excite me.
Just as I want don't want my epitaph to be what someone once suggested: "He Was Prompt."
A curious example of life's wonders: the bullying you refer to was obviously important and significant to you, so much so that you assume you don't even need to name names. In fact, I haven't a clue, and didn't know you ever had that experience.
I find it perfectly believable that you intervened to stop the bullying of someone else in HS. It fits with my memories of you.
Most of HS is a blur to me, and has been for years. I remember nothing about freshman initiation. I am, however, haunted by memories of hell week at the university....not haunted by my memories as a victim, but by my memories as a perpetrator. It fits with my understanding of "the banality of evil," as Hannah Arendt described.
Post a Comment