About seventy-five percent of the school-related aggressive behaviors are directly attributable to bullying (“Statistics”). Bullying is a pervasive illness that has struck modern society. Bullying affects individuals in the workplace and at home, but is most prominent in schools. Bullying is one of the most poisonous, most common, and preventable issues in today’s society. Shane Koyczan presented the spoken-word poem “To This Day” at the TED conference. Koyczan begins by introducing childhood advice from his mother, and revealing how not following the advice caused him to constantly be belittled. As many young people are told, Koyczan stood up for himself, but he realized that he could not stand up for himself if he did not know who he was. Koyczan points out that, unless an individual defines himself or herself, others will force often degrading labels on the individual. Even as this labeling takes place, individuals are asked what they wish to be. In Koyczan’s eyes, this was unfair, as the individuals are only children. Nevertheless, a nine-year-old Koyczan wanted to be a marine biologist until …show more content…
According to Coloroso, some of the mental and emotional consequences that victims suffer are low self-esteem, loneliness, depression, anxiety, anhedonia, sleeping and eating disorders, and self-harm or even suicide (ch. 3). Although the bully may feel more included, idolized, and powerful for his or her actions, bullies also often suffer from negative mental and emotional consequences. These include shame, guilt, and negative self-esteem. Social consequences of bullying on victims range from the victim becoming socially isolated to being actively shunned, and the bully being feared and isolated (ch. 3). A bully is always the perpetrator of a cruel action. However, both the bully and his or her victim suffer from mental, emotional, and social consequences from those