There is one desire that is common in all beings, and that is the desire to succeed in all spheres of life, whether it is academics, work, sports or relationships. It is something that is instilled in us from childhood: the values of perseverance, hard work and determination to ignite within us, the spark to succeed. However, what we are never taught is how to manage ourselves in this dual world, where good and bad coexist. As we mature and age, we realise that to get to success and retain it, we often have to manoeuvre through the web of various forms of asymmetrical relations and power play and the coping mechanism in such a landscape is never clear-cut. In fact, it remains a blurred concept.
Sushant Singh Rajput was a genius who exuded brilliance in the roles he played. He succeeded fiercely in the game of life. However, his untimely passing away has raised a debate on bullying in the entertainment industry, arising from power politics. According to media reports, despite being excellent at his craft, the actor was suffering from collective boycott and bullying which impacted his emotional wellbeing.
Bullies exist everywhere. Women get bullied by in-laws, students get bullied in colleges and it’s common in sports teams, offices, and clubs. Even our history and mythology discusses bullies and their manipulative practices. The Mahabharata exemplifies the fight against this disturbing phenomenon between two sets of brothers, who are cousins to each other.
The victim in the process, goes through pain, which of course cannot be quantified. Hearts are filled with feelings of remorse, resentment and revenge which further deteriorate the individual’s personality and impacts mental health. However, some learn the tactics of managing, fighting and plotting against it without losing visions of success.
This is almost always possible when the victim of any sort of bullying is able to voice the pain to another person. Sharing such an incident with someone in the family helps and diffuses it. You could talk with friends, family members, teachers, guides or even a therapist. By discussing the problem with a reliable individual who has your welfare at heart, we get the gift of perspective through which we get the strength to take a stand against the bullies in one’s life.
Academic institutions and corporate houses now realise the significance of having counselling facilities and family counsellors have also become very popular in recent years.
However, it is most important to have several close core groups of individuals, with whom the channels of love and trust are free flowing. These people are like a comfort blanket that one can cherish and they, in turn, can nurture such a person. Parents should also weave threads of love and confidence that connects them strongly with their children, specially these days when cyberbullying is on the rise.
Sometimes, we may also find ourselves at a crossroad where even confiding with someone close to you is not an option. However, there is still a crucial path that is open to all and which can bestow us with peace and provide us with solutions. That is the path of God. The Lord is our guide and the principles in religious books provide us with an eternal manual to deal with dysfunctional situations.
One principle which is broadly universal and common to most spiritual philosophies is the recommendation to forgive―although, to apply the concept of forgiveness takes time and practise.
However, right now, in the wake of the actor Sushant Singh Rajput’s untimely passing, people are really angry with celebrities who are allegedly being associated with bullying the late actor. It’s a fair emotion, after all in today’s world, where we want to drink fair trade coffee and wear responsibly manufactured clothing, then the consumption of our entertainment should also have some ethical and moral grounding.
Anchal Sinha lives in Surrey, UK, with her family. She has previously worked for leading News TV Channels in India and is a distinction holder from the London School of Economics.
Bullying is a menace in every field of life. People who are sincere and hardworking can often lack in worldly ways of cut throat competition. I feel parents have to instil in their kids that following the ambition is fine but if anything doesn’t work out fine because of bullying or nepotism, it’s better to find a new path. Teach kids to be content. If by nature one is not a ruthless person then avoid a field that is ruthless and rules more under nepotism.
This world is huge. We can find own new corner if present place doesn’t suit. We should be confident enough to handle the change rather than given in to hostile pressure.
Bullying starts in school itself. And parents should keep a tab on their kids and teach them how to deal with bullying. Schooling is a playgtound for adult life .
Kids should be taught not only to defend themselves but be fearless and report things to teachers parents friends etc . This training in the school itsrlf will help them to deal with it in future.
At workplace it is better to deal with them in a straight forward way so they know they won’t be tolerated . We should oppose them without worrying of consequences