This may seem like a very strange pet peeve to some. Why does it matter
if your friend does not stand up for you, when you have the ability to fend for
yourself and seek other support systems? The one of many problems which teenagers
face even in today's day and age is bullying. Sure, teachers and parents do not
support bullying, but it still occurs and there is a difference when a friend
is there for you and when an adult intervenes in the situation. Most teens
value their friends' opinions and seek advice from them more often than they
would from their parents or other adults. I feel that it is due to the fact
that kids can relate more to kids their own age because they spend more time
together during the day. Also, the bond of friendship can provide different
emotional support than a parent can offer.
It disappoints and annoys me to see friends who are supposedly
"there for you" enable bullies through being bystanders or even
participating in the act itself. I feel that this is one of the most ultimate
forms of betrayal because without the support of those who matter most, kids
will begin to feel deserving of the bullying. Friends have a very powerful
influence on each other and it annoys me when they sell their friends out for
peer pressure.
I agree with you that it is indeed annoying when friends do not stand up for other friends, but you may also have to take into account the personality of that specific friend. Some people are much too nervous to cause a big scene and even though it is bugging them they are unable to stand up for their friend or maybe even them self. In this sense it is unfair to expect such things from all of your friends.
ReplyDeleteWhen I read this post, I had an almost immediate connection to Amir and Hassan's relationship. I came to the conclusion of the perfect way to explain their relationship: Amir (the so called friend) turns around and bullies Hassan. By bystanding the raping (a violation of power, WHICH BULLYING IS AS WELL), Amir gave power to Assef and even turns the blade that is already in Hassan's back. Also, there are some places where you could see that Amir is undoubtedly picking on Hassan as well .This makes the book even more profoundly emotional, as you get the image of a mourning Amir that is now haunted for the rest of his life as he bullied his only true friend and starts to illustrate the process of coming to terms of forgiving himself (as we could probably agree that out of the nature of Hassan, he's already forgiven Amir).
ReplyDeleteBullying is bad enough, and when "friends" bully, all hell can break loose.