| It simplifies the world in a way that such narrative always does, adding no understanding and doing nothing to make the future better. In the real world we're all bullies (1), and sometimes suicide, self-harm, and hysterical overreaction is the ultimate tactic to bully. It seems entirely irrational, and I'm sure the mere notion of it will outrage some, but humans are prone to irrationality. One of the most dangerous behaviors is to empower suicide -- to make it the ultimate "get back at them" tactic, internet lynch mobs that didn't care at all before suddenly up in arms against the purported aggressors, the narrative of the story simplified and made completely one-sided, where there are only villains and victims. That isn't how the real world works. Despite the ham-fisted Swartz parable in the linked thing, I was not talking about that situation above. However if I might, it was clear years earlier that Aaron wasn't exactly the happiest person in the world. There were things going on there that none of us understand, and presuming that everything would be happy sailing if a prosecutor looked the other way isn't rational. (1)- Some of the most egregious, obnoxious bullying happened in the recent thread recounting the thread about Aaron's situation from a half a year ago. Suddenly everything was seemingly so clear to some, their righteous outrage and vilification so loud. Just embarrassing. |
I was not (or at least, I hope so) empowering suicide, as this would be the last thing on my mind. I read the story as some kind of parable, teaching me something. It got me thinking. It broke through all the layers protecting my brain from all the noise out there. It gripped me and I started thinking, about the times, I was on the receiving- and on the giving-end of the bully-stick.
I am far to far away, to judge, if anyone in the linked context qualifies as bully. Really I am. And to be fair, it is ok not to judge here, not knowing of Aarons situation, not knowing the people involved and only having read some 1000 words on the topic.
But I can judge myself being bullied and being a bully sometimes. And I was able to identify some situations, in which i was not the good man, I want to be, situations, I was able to revisit in memory, See where I went wrong and what I could do better next time. And speaking an apology to the one on the receiving-end.
So what is so bad in this irrational, emotional, but maybe moving story? In my humble opinion, it would only be "bad" not to go the next step after reading it.