OPINION
Bullying And Its Correlation To Obesity
October 11, 2013
By Paul Yang
By Paul Yang
A most clement issue in today’s school campuses, bullying arguably stands as the most controversial academic concern of the decade. A study in Britain found that half of all suicides by teenagers under eighteen were related to bullying, which means that out of the estimated 4,400 yearly suicides, 2,200 occurred as a result of bullying. As these numbers continue to rise day by day, one must wonder: is there a specific trait, whether physical or mental, that attracts these antagonizers?
Sadly, the answer is yes. Logically speaking, anyone who looks smaller, slower, or weaker immediately becomes a target, but an even deeper reason resides in the psyche of the bully. |
Contrary to popular opinion, it is often the scrawny, squeaky-voiced deviant who terrorizes the lives of innocent children on the playground. Simply, he desires to compensate for his lack of physical size with a vulgar and antagonistic demeanor. Essentially, he or she has contracted a severe form of childhood jealousy; a jealousy that can mutate to become an obsession that is quenched only when the bigger (literally and figuratively speaking) man falls down. And it truly is the bigger people who suffer; after all, they’re the easiest to pick on because they presumably look slow and vulnerable. As difficult as it may be for people to accept such a simplification of a dire issue to a mere case of physical size, it is the truth.
Therefore, what must be done? The real problem seems not to be bullying itself (after all, just like flies or gnats, bullies will always exist), but obesity. Obesity is the number one cause of bullying, because it sets up the potential victim for a big, “dumb” appearance that signals red meat for hungry bullies. A nation-wide assault on obesity, which most often arises due to poor early-age nutritional decision by parents, would essentially be the most effective assault on bullying. And it isn’t just obesity causing bullying; it goes the opposite way as well. Studies in Britain have shown that adults of ages eighteen and up who have been bullied as children are 31% more likely to be overweight. So get on the treadmill, America. Along with keeping you healthy, it might just keep the scathing words and flurries of fists of a bully from ever affecting you. |
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Watch Your Mouth!
October 14, 2013
By Daniel Gonzalez
By Daniel Gonzalez
Language by definition is the method of human communication, either spoken or written, consisting of the use of words in a structured and conventional way. The whole world revolves around it and is organized thanks to it. Have you asked yourself if it is like so, should we focus the most on it? Well the logical answer would be a big YES...But easier said than done, right?
In most instances the wonderful language that we always have in our reach to use freely in order to communicate with another person is used incorrectly or inappropriately. What seems to be the worst is how many words are given a negative connotation. These words are constantly being thrown around by teens; a word that can suddenly pop in to your head can be “Gay.” This word was originally used to express a sense of happiness, or carefree. This definition then changed to reference homosexuality, mostly males. This definition is mostly used for this word, but in young people it has become a synonym to “stupid,” or a word referred to weakness. This word can seem very disrespectful to some people, and can make you seem very immature. Nobody would like to look immature in front of anyone, SO DON’T do it! Using vulgar language does NOT make you any better! It does not make you COOL, in fact, the complete opposite! Yes these words might be to express your anger, or unhappiness, but while you do this you might make another person unhappy! Remember language is a form of communication! |
It is meant to connect people, not disconnect each other! Also, after saying such foul language, do you sometimes feel even the smallest resent, mostly when these words are meant for another person? …I know I did when these words would come out of my mouth, and only later would I regret what I said. Think Twice! And DON’T DO IT!
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