Anti-Bullying Movement
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Original Question
Many activist groups end up with a bad reputation because of the extremists that exist within and I'm wondering if the same has happened with the anti bullying movement.
One example of a complaint I hear all over the internet is that schools do "nothing" about "bullying".
That might just be a strong opinion but a variation I hear is bullying is so "widespread" because schools do "nothing" about it.
Another one I hear is bullying is more prevalent now because it travels to the internet instead of staying at school. I have a hard time believing this because "bullying" tends to be taken more seriously than it use to be, which doesn't mean it's gone, but how could it be happening more? I could be wrong in my line of thinking.
I'm curious as to what you in the comments think and any other examples of logical fallacies you may have. I just want a clearer example of the fallacies that exist within this movement nowadays.
I also know that "bullying" is a term that changes with the times so here is how I personally define it: Consistent psychological and/or physical abuse over a period of time with the intent to harm. The people making the statements might define it more generally though.
Comments on Question
Answers
3A lot depends upon the definition of bullying. The old “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me” has given way to “microagressions” make me feel bad. Soon it will be nanoagressions, and you batted your eyes at me. Therefore, you should get 30 days in the electric chair.
The main issue that you are alluding to is that the term "bullying," no matter how it is defined, contains an element of subjectivity. I am not up on the research and how it compares today with bullying in the past. It would be interesting to look at how social scientists measure bullying (not just define it).
To answer your question, we can look for the fallacy when we see the argument being made. Perhaps if I were more familiar with arguments, I can help look for fallacies.
One example of a complaint I hear all over the internet is that schools do "nothing" about "bullying".
Taken literally this looks like an unsupported claim. At least, it's unqualified and underspecified. Which schools, and where? How is bullying being defined?
However, if I read this in the wild, I'd assume it's rhetoric. The person is expressing frustration towards what they perceive as a lack of sufficient action on bullying.
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I can't really answer your question, but I would like to comment on it. I worked for the Seattle School District for 16 years - 1985-2002. During that time I became a whistle-blower and political activist and investigated a number of school districts.
I have no idea if bullying in schools is more common now than it was, say, 50 years ago. However, I was shocked at how common it is - and how little is done about it. I saw bullies physically assault other students repeatedly with impunity, but when one of their victims finally defended themself, the victim would get in trouble. One morning when I went to work, we heard on the news that a teacher at a neighboring middle school had just been shot. It turns out he was a pedophile who was shot by a student he had abused years before.
Note, also, that children aren't the only victims. Teachers also bully each other, and school officials bully everyone - teachers, parents, etc. I spent my first five years as a substitute teacher, and I could write a book about that. Substitutes are treated like insects.
Again, I don't know how the situation compares to 50 years ago or 100 years ago, and I'm also not suggesting that every school district is as bad as Seattle. However, I'm now unloading trucks at UPS, and I consider it Club Med compared to education.
If you want to explore the subject in more detail, do some research on Eli Broad and the thugs he trained to infiltrate school districts. They're not nice people. On the other hand, there are some amazing similarities between public education and UPS (as well as the U.S. Postal Service). Corporate America thrives on tyranny.