Bullying at school is like acting on a movie set “We are violent to become famous”

Smargiassi M.

Gruppo Editoriale L'Espresso

Italian

English

persecutor – victim – technology – fame – the decline of adults

Newspaper / Magazine article

Parents, Policy Makers, Teachers, Researchers, Young People, School Directors.

Not relevant

Through the witnesses of students and teachers that cooperated with the “Adolescent treatment centre” in Milan, the article deals with the worrying phenomenon of school bullying. It is stated that “bullies” are called by adolescents the “famous”. Adolescent bullies become violent, arrogant and leaders of a group boasting about their vices to be considered the most popular guys. Both bullies and victims exist. There are victims that are ready to become bullies to escape from this uncomfortable condition of weak and to satisfy and support the strong will of the powerful leaders. It is a chain-like process.In this scenario adults are absent and according to the adolescents’ point of view adults are not able to minimize the events. The Ministry of Public Education is carrying out an anti-bullying plan consisting in a campaign where the media are invited to evaluate the effects of the dissemination of news items where adolescents play the role of the main characters. The bully must be the focus of attention and sometimes the media accelerate this process. Moreover it is useful to remember that technology is probably the unique way that enables us to observe the world – the adolescents’ world – that sometimes runs the risk of being ignored.The menace, the refusal to refund a loan, etc… are common acts and sometimes they are appreciated only because they want to become famous and well known. Many schools in Italy are trying to react and face this phenomenon, such as the vocational school “Ipsia Parma” in Saronno whose campaign focuses on the presence of parents.

This article wants the reader to focus on the bullying phenomenon which is linked to the need of adolescents to stand out among the peers and to become famous. The author states that sometimes bullies tend to commit crimes because they are afraid of being weak, worthless and not recognizable among the group of peers.Sometimes adults undervalue the importance of this phenomenon and consider it only an exuberant attitude, they do not pay attention to consequences. Modern technologies enable us to come closer to our children’s lives, learning about their fears, weaknesses and the injustice they experience day by day. That is why we must be grateful to technology, even if we must remember to consider the effects of information speed which multiplies the models carried out by the bullies.The school environment - which is the most common place where this type of events takes place - agrees with the fact that the most effective way to defeat bullying is to make adults and parents participate in the dialogue with children and adolescents.

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