I would like to preface this post as it is merely a birds eye view and my take on something I recently experienced while working at ComiCon this past weekend. I would also like to note that I am completely repulsed by the act of bullying and growing up definitely feel proud of my personal actions to stand up for those who were bullied.
With those two notes in mind, I was working a sandwich stand outside McCormick and Schmick’s during ComiCon for eight hours a day for three days. My first day of working I greeted each passer by with a hi, hello – how are you and almost 80% of the people walking by me just looked down and increased their pace as they walked past me. My first initial guy reaction was “ugh how rude” – I literally couldn’t believe it.
The second day this lady who was clearly drunk came out to have a cigarette by my table and we got to talking and she noticed the same thing. She was clearly someone who probably bullied any and everyone in life, her explanation was that “these people” were just socially inept and rude people who shouldn’t interact in society – so they have to create a convention just for people like them. The conversation switched gears and she went back in and I continued my day, but it ended with a call from Big Brothers Big Sisters confirming they had found a match.
During this call they give you a brief synopsis of the family history, who the little girl is, what she likes and why she wants to join the program. One of the reasons she was interested in joining the program was because she is being bullied at school for multiple reasons and only has one friend.
This brought me back to my initial thought process of the attendees of ComiCon being rude and as I started to take it all in I began to realize that victims of bullying must have a really hard time integrating in “normal” society even later in life. I am no one to judge what normal society is or say what you like or dislike – whether it be games, cartoons or comics is acceptable or unacceptable – in fact I think that finding a passion in anything is an amazing way to live.
I also would like to say I am not generalizing that all victims of bullying were at ComiCon, but I could see how those individuals who I thought were being rude and unable to be friendly with me might have been a victim. They have never had anyone randomly say hello, how are you or how is your day. I think that is one of the most amazing things about the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is that you match someone who is genuinely invested and interested in someone who doesn’t experience that generosity very often.
Daily I do my best to say hello to strangers, compliment men and women of all shapes, sizes and looks, reach out with a helping hand to someone in need – that simple act of genuine interest can go so far. Bullying on the other hand can tear apart someones world, I had always dealt and thought about the affects of bullying in that moment, but never on their life as they got older.
I also met quite a few amazing people during my time there, everyone has their quirks and own styles and I respect any and everyone – but what I hate to see is people hurting inside and unable to interact in life. To each their own and if you are happy so be it, but my goal is to make sure everyone finds their own dream – and is truly happy with themselves – the jerks and people who bully will weed out themselves, it is because they are truly unhappy that they do it anyways.
