Another week, another heartbreaking story about a teen who took her life because of bullying. I read this stuff and honestly don’t know what to think. How is the world so broken that it’s considered fine for a 14 year-old girl to post on Facebook “’Yes, I bullied Rebecca and she killed herself but I don’t give a …’? Sure, she got arrested–thankfully–but I’m talking about the mentality that it’s fine to say something like that publicly? Sadly, this kind of thing isn’t limited to teens–remember the horrible backlash against Adria Richards? I remember reading the comments on someone’s Facebook page about it and I was stunned–there were hundreds of comments–made by adults–ranging anywhere from just plain racist to death threats to rape threats. I’d never seen anything like it in my life–who does that at all, let alone on a public platform, under their real names? In what universe is that ok?
Apparently ours, and I think people are humoring themselves when they scratch their heads and wonder why bullying is becoming so prevalent among teens. What kind of example are we adults setting that bullying and hatred aren’t ok? Just take a look at the past few weeks with the government shutdown and all the vitrol expressed among “friends” on Facebook. Or how about headlines like this one, from Business Insider “Wall Streeters Are Passing Around This Awful Email A Wisconsin Student Sent To A Recruiter”? Really? So we, as parents and learned adults, we who are supposed to be responsible for teaching kids that it’s not ok to ridicule people or share another person’s private sentiments across social media, are fine with turning around and doing the exact same thing to a student? A person trying to make his way in the world and looking to the experts–us–for guidance–that’s how we act? And then rejoice when the humiliation goes “viral”?
Read the guy’s letter and tell me if you think it’s worth hanging the kid out to dry?
Subject: Question
Hey REDACTED,
We talked a couple weeks back at the UW-Milwaukee accounting night. (I was the one looking for equity research positions and had a zit on my lip that could have passed for a cold sore. Lol. Whew. It was not. You’re probably like, “uh.. What?” Maybe that helps you recall, maybe not. Not completely important, I suppose.
Anyways, if you have a chance here is my question: (background first) I interviewed with BDO and Baker Tilly today, two firms that seem like good places to work, I believe they don’t kill you like a big 4. Tomorrow I have an interview with Deloitte :O somewhere I thought I’ve always wanted to work. Obviously I don’t have an offer so this is all hypothetical thinking, but if I get the job, the reality of the situation is that I’m getting old. 25. I know you can’t force love and I know it just comes when you’re not looking, but would working for a big four completely squash any possibilities for potential relationships if one came along? Is working for a big four a potential career – love trade off? I mean, I like money(as do most females) but love is…great 🙂 What are your thoughts?
Thanks!
REDACTED
Sent from my iPhone
Reads to me like an earnest kid asking some honest questions of a supposed expert in careers. I see nothing ridicule-worthy about it. He sent it from his iPhone? Who cares?He mentions a zit? Who cares? Apparently in the world we live in, anything is worth making fun of if it means a chance of “going viral.”
I’ll spare you my rant about reality TV and how it glorifies bullying, but seriously–why are we even surprised that bullying is so rampant among teens? We’re setting a great example for them to follow.
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