Why People Choose To Be Bystanders

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When thinking about bystanders and upstanders and talking about the subject in many situations, people always tell you that they would be upstanders no matter what but the fact of the matter is that when you are in the situation no matter who you are many would chose to stay quiet. Why is this? Aren’t we supposed to be good people? The matter is that many don't intervene due to the consequences it can lead to their families, their cultural background leading to what they were taught and the risk they are putting upon themselves.
Many people chose to be bystanders in risky situations due to the fact that it leads to their family suffering the consequences. For all those who are parents, you hold a position of power with leadership within your …show more content…

Every different culture is taught to deal with things like bullying or disagreements, I personally come from a mexican background and I have always been taught to pick my own fights and not get involved if it doesn’t involve or affect me. Every culture believes in something differently some believe that no matter what you should speak up while say to never speak up less you're in the situation. Many of the beliefs we have come from our parents so when deciding on whether to be a bystander or upstander we always think back to our parents and many times you now that the best thing to do is not get involved. With the sheets of scenarios we read about a 14 year old boy deciding whether to stand up for a classmate who is getting verbally abused or to just walk by. It reads”His mom has always told him to stay out of any situation where he could get hurt-- he knows of this group, they could hurt him”. In the situation it was the thought of his mother and what he taught within their culture that made him feel like maybe he shouldn’t intervene but instead stay quiet and walk away to not cause himself to have problems with the group of kids that could potentially hurt