Bullying has become commonplace and is associated with increased rates of suicide, school violence, mental illness, and diminished academic performance. Victims of prolonged bullying frequently see suicide as their only option to escape it, and many school shooters are former students who were bullied. Bullying exacerbates any existing mental health conditions and prevents both victims and bullies from learning due to increased anxiety and a primary focus on bullying respectively. Philosophers like Epicurus, Aquinas, and Aristotle would emphasize treating others with compassion through virtues like justice and kindness.

1. Bullying
Rose M. Ezell
PHI/105
May 4th, 2014
Carrie Spencer

2. Bullying
• In the last few decades, bullying has become very common place and gathering
media attention. In fact, the number of school shootings have escalated to the
point that the government wants to outlaw guns. The common denominator
seems to be that the people perpetrating these crimes were bullied at school for
a number of years.
• The issues surrounding bullying are; suicide, school violence, mental illness, and
the diminished capacity to learn while at school.

3. Bullying
• Suicide – Statistics show that 8% of children who are bullied eventually commit
suicide. This statistic only represents bullying reported after suicide. I suspect the
percentage is much higher.
• They decide that suicide is the only answer because they have dealt with it so
long and nothing has been done to stop it. It appears to be their only option.
• Bullying affects a child, mentally, emotionally and physically. This can be
overwhelming.

4. Bullying
• School Violence – There have been 61 mass murders since 1982. The common
thread is most of them is the shooter felt isolated, was bullied, and no one
seemed to care.
• While not all of them happened at the actual school, a great number of them
were perpetrated by a student who knew where their bully would be located.
• 99% of all perpetrators eventually turn the weapon on themselves after
committing the crime. 1% ran and were caught by local authorities.

5. Bullying
• Mental Illness – children with mental disorders are three times more likely to
become bullies. Such illness such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) and
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Both of these disorders create
frequent tantrums and revenge seeking in the individual. Depression can also
play a part in the creation of a bully.
• Often times, the bullying happens because an individual with a mental disorder is
unable to contemplate their actions and the result of those actions.

6. Bullying
• Diminished capacity to learn – No only does bullying provide terrible
circumstances but, the people who are the victims cannot learn what they are
being taught in school.
• The victims have anxiety about getting on the bus, going to the bathroom, going
to school and this anxiety precludes their learning. A child cannot learn if all they
are worrying about is what could happen to them. In contrast, the bully also has
the diminished capacity to learn because bullying becomes their main focus.

7. Bullying
• A postcolonialist might say the root cause of bullying depends on several factors;
our culture is fascinated with competing to win, having power, and wealth. It
would be very unrealistic to expect that even the youth would not be influenced
by this dynamic in our society.
• A feminist might say that students may be targeted for their race, their physical
or cognitive ability. They may be targeted for their religious expression or native
language. Bullying might relate to gender expression in more subtle ways.
(Svahn, J., & Evaldsson, A.-C. 2011)

8. Bullying
• Our government seems to think that mass murders are caused by the availability
of guns. They believe that if they remove guns from people then there will not be
any guns to commit such mass murders.
• I firmly believe that if guns are not available a bully victim will simply find another
way to get revenge on their bully.
• Removing guns is not a solution. Teaching children early on about compassion
and tolerance for others is a better solution.

9. Bullying - Prevention
• Educate the students by having a bullying awareness program put in place. This
program would teach tolerance and respect for our differences.
• Psychology – Explain why someone becomes a bully. Explain why someone
becomes a victim. Explain how people feel after being bullied and explain how
the bully feels after committing the abuse.
• Encourage students to get involved. Stand up for each other. Do not be a by-stander
and walk away. Explain that doing nothing makes them just as guilty as
the bully.

10. Bullying –What The Philosophers Would Say
• The bully seeks power over the people just as a dictator seeks power over their country.
In fact, in the most recent years, the talk of government officials seeking to remove “the
right to bear arms” (The United States Constitution, Amendment 2, 1776). from the
people would contradict Liberalism. Adam Smith would definitely not agree with this as
he believed that “government must remain on the sidelines of individual lives.” (Moore,
Bruder, 2011). However, John Stuart Mill might think differently about the government
getting involved by taking our guns away. He might see this as a responsibility of the
government to protect us by interrupting our rights because they endanger others. To
Mr. Mill, I would say “Guns do not kill people, people kill people.”

11. Bullying –What The Philosophers Would Say
• Epicurus’s ideas of happiness in living were centered about the just treatment of
others, he advocated avoiding pain but more than likely his thoughts on bullying
would be to proclaim the Golden Rule. “Do not harm others, because you do not
want to be harmed.” (Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. 2011)
• Epicurus also stated that “It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living
wisely and well and justly (agreeing, neither to harm nor be harmed), and it is
impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.”
(Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. 2011)

12. Bullying –What The Philosophers Would Say
• Thomas Aquinas delivered philosophy through a Christian approach. Therefore he
might quote Jesus as saying “Love one another.” (The Holy Bible, Unknown) and
thereby teach this to all students. He might also teach his “cardinal virtues”:
justice, courage, prudence and of course temperance.
• Thomas most likely would emphasize the existence of God and therefore teach
God’s wrath on those who do bad things.

13. Bullying –What The Philosophers Would Say
• Aristotle would teach the children that it is not enough to be good but they must
do good. He would tell them that in doing good, they would need to be merciful,
charitable and kind. He might also say that until they help others, their goodness
means nothing in the world. Since Aristotle was at the very heart of the classical
education system, his teachings I believe would resonate with the students.
(Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. 2011)

14. References
• Black, S., Weinles, D., & Washington, E. (2011). Youth Violence and Juvenile
Justice. Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, 138.
• Bollmer, J. M., Milich, R., Harris, M. J., & Maras, M. A. (2005). A Friend in
Need: The Role of Friendship Quality as a Protective Factor in Peer
Victimization and Bullying. Ameican Professional Society on the Abuse of
Children, 701.
• Craig, W., Pepler, D., & Blais, J. (2007). Responding to Bullying: What
Works? School Psychology International , 465.
• Moore, B. N., & Bruder, K. (2011). Philosophy: The power of ideas (8th ed
ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.
• Svahn, J., & Evaldsson, A.-C. (2011). You Could Just Ignore Me; Situating
peer exclusion with the contingencies. Norwegian Centre for Child
Research, 491.
• The Holy Bible. (Unknown).
• The United States Constitution, Amendment 2. (1776).