I wrote this late last week, intending to send it to the Canberra Times, but didn't send it in the end, because I kind of lost track of what I thought the point was. Still, for whatever it's worth, here it is:
Walking home from the ANU yesterday evening I was twice almost run down on pedestrian crossings. The drivers clearly saw me; they simply chose not to slow down, and I had to take a sudden step back or risk being hit. This was bullying, pure and simple. Might makes right.
The same sort of behaviour was repeated by cyclists, not only on the Turner "shared path" but also on ordinary footpaths. One notable bicycle bully was riding home with his young son, showing him by example how to hold his line on the narrow path, without slowing down, and thereby force pedestrians to step off into the dirt or be run down.
When adults routinely behave like this, why are we so surprised and distressed by bullying in schools and the atrocious behaviour of professional footballers, cricketers and other sportsmen?
We have no reason to expect impressionable young people to behave respectfully when the entire adult world is run by bullies at every level, from the epidemic of bullying in Canberra's public service workplaces, to the behaviour of the "developed" nations on the world stage.
Campaigns to eliminate bullying in schools are hypocrisy of the "Do as I do, not as I say" variety. Any kid who takes them seriously is a fool. The bullies are the smart ones. They see through the double standards and are busy perfecting the life skills that will get them to the top in the adult world.
It's time we adults start treating children and each other with respect.
