Monday night I went to a presentation about bullying that was very informative. There were kids and adults present so there was a good mix of questions, opinions and experiences. It was presented by Putnam County DA along with other officials from the county. They are working to get the their message out to as many people as possible and would like to do more presentations; they need to be invited into schools.
Tuesday morning I was reading Wildlife Conservation magazine and came upon an article about the Nazca Booby, a bird that lives on the Galapagos Islands. Apparently these birds, as chicks, will fight and kill their siblings right after they hatch. It seems they do this to improve their chance of survival. These surviving chicks tend to be bullies even into adulthood. The chicks who have no siblings in the nest do not appear to be aggressive as adults.
I wonder if there have been studies on bullying and siblings in humans? It would be interesting to see if more bullies come from large familes and does birth order have any affect........................
The first thought that comes to mind is the reminiscent childhood game where being called different was what was hoped for: "Duck, Duck, Goose"! Oh yes, waiting to be tapped goose was with excitement, without bias, and with a collective innocence as a group. In that game it was fun to be unlike everyone else. Comparing this to bullying, however, there is no parallel...for to be a goose is to be bullied. Let's not forget the story of the "Ugly Duckling"...maybe it wasn't even a duck or perhaps instead of being killed by a sibling its survival came from not being in the same nest or category.
ReplyDeleteThe Nazca booby chicks immediately improve their survival (of the fittest)methods by eliminating their siblings...coming out fighting, within the nest, defensively and on the attack. That innate trait therefore,follows a bird-hood aggressiveness where being the bully is a natural skill and in-born tendency. The solo Nazca Booby chicks who are born without siblings have no reason to fight nor kill for their own survival upon hatching, so a lack of aggression is thus the norm.
Abstract view of birth order, sibling count and or what becomes family dynamic turned societal status quo for human behaviors is indeed interesting. It would seem that these have been studied and would give some indication of effectual outcome. For example, the first born of say 4 siblings, may be the mother hen, the bodyguard of the younger siblings, the one who will defend and care for the others by birth-rite. The two in the middle could have both an aggressive and passive disposition for on one hand they are neither the oldest, nor the youngest. Perhaps their survival is a bit more balanced in a somewhat more balanced way? The youngest, now stick with me here, either they become aggressive by way of birth order for the older siblings are the ones who lead the way, then they are always compared to who was first, who is older, who knows better, and most likely don't have much say, or they could automatically bully the youngest sibling simply because they can. That would sort of instill a defensive or aggressive trait in order to survive and fighting would somehow become the norm. Or, they too could take on the care-taker role. The youngest of the group has either the benefit of the doubt be being protected, having seen how others do things, and thus have no need to necessarily fight for their place, or has no benefit by constantly having to fight for everything...the latter would be the formulation of aggressive behaviors that could turn into a bullying nature. Or the inability of aggressiveness if that youngest sibling is favored and does not need to defend itself. Now for an only child, where does either trait become developed? Not being around other siblings on a regular basis is where the tendency to not have to fight is a normal behavior. Just like the Nazca chicks with their very own nests with no reason to fight for survival, where a non-agressive attitude simply is an inborn and continuous trait of behavior. However, being bullied by outside peeps, could do one of two things: It could instill a constant defensiveness of having to fight to survive, or down the line, the bullied may become the bullier, or the lack of aggression is the normal trait that follows through adulthood by mere default. Since every human being is different, and every family is different, each personal experience is also different. Who becomes a bully and who becomes the bullied all depends on the combination of all factors, from birth through adulthood...with or without other chicks development is intricately an individual experience.
As it is written in the bible:
ReplyDeleteBlessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.~Matthew 5:5
He gives power to the weak, And to those who have no might He increases strength~Isaiah 40:29
But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also.~Matthew 5:39
“Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.~Luke 6:37
Ultimately the bullies will be brought down, by the Lords justice and faithfulness to those who are the birds that are the afflicted, oppressed and well...If being a Nazca Booby is like the status quo of life...then either we have wings to soar like eagles, justified by faith, or not...where violence is not the answer nor should it be a defining factor of survival.