re: Bullying is overall beneficial to society

Anti-bullying didn’t reduce bullying. It just changed the methods from in-person to online. The bigger problem was the zero-tolerance policies for fighting. Fighting is essential for young boys to earn respect and stop bullying behaviors. Without it, these problems never get resolved until they explode with violence. Fighting teaches kids how to address their problems head on, how some conflicts cannot be avoided, and how to pick one’s battles.

I was bullied as a kid until I learned to fight back. Then, I wasn’t bullied anymore. Most fights between boys results in the two becoming friends as a result. This is no longer allowed to happen. Kids don’t learn what behaviors are acceptable and what things are drawing unnecessary attention. They don’t learn how to command respect. They only learn to run away, which only makes things worse.

I wouldn’t be half the man I am if I hadn’t been bullied and fought back.

The reason is that men don’t write these policies: women, insurance adjusters, and lawyers do. Women don’t understand the social importance of boys fighting because girls don’t fight/bully the same ways that men do. They only understand how girls bully/fight, and so their policies are geared around that without realizing that bullying and fighting mean different things to boys and girls and require different responses to create positive results and police negative behaviors. Insurers and lawyers are just trying to limit exposure to law suits.