We are now living in a time where there is very little opportunity to separate real life and online life. Just as we interact with people outside, we also create our own identity on social media, but one thing I feel very clearly is that the pain of bullying, whether it is in front of us or behind a screen, is very real.
Sometimes we think that saying or writing something online is not such a big deal. It is just a comment made in jest. We say such things very easily, but we do not want to understand how painful it can be for the person to whom it is said. In reality, if someone insults us in front of us, we take it very seriously, but when it is online, it is often taken lightly. However, I think the pain is the same in both places.
Real life bullying may be physical or verbal. In a social environment, at work, even in one's own family, someone belittles, insults or intimidates someone. This breaks people inside, reduces their confidence, loses faith in themselves. Many times, they cannot even tell anyone about the pain.
Online bullying or cyber bullying is more silent but deeper. Here, no one is directly in front, but insults, trolls, insults, everything spreads very easily. A post, a picture, or a misunderstanding can make a person a target. The most terrible thing is that this online attack often does not want to stop. A person faces that pain again and again.
I think the problem is not just bullying, but that we do not give it the importance we should give it. Some may tolerate it silently, some withdraw, and some may break down mentally.
I personally believe that we need to stop and think about how what I say can affect another person. If we are a little more aware and a little more humane, then maybe we can avoid a lot of pain. Because words also have power, they can build people and break them. Because as a human being, respect and empathy for another human being should be our biggest identity.