I decided, today, to watch a decent (perspective) Halloween movie.
I chose “The Final”. It is a fairly old story about withdrawn, shy students who are picked on until they snap and take revenge. “Carrie” was about this as have been a lot of movies both before and since.
“The Final” began right off with showing you how these students are picked on constantly.
They truly don’t deserve the treatment. Their plan makes sense, but as with all evil intents, it just doesn’t end up quite the way they intended. I am not going to spoil it for those who decide to watch it. Suffice it to say that it was difficult to watch, but the gore level was not as high as it easily could have been.
It was more terrifying to let your imaginations do a lot of the work. Now, it was not bloodless, nor was it gore-less; but it grabbed you more in your mind and emotions than anything else.
The reason I am writing this is that I was picked on a lot growing up. I had a student who would grab my ear on the bus and pull it. He did this quite often. That ear has more hearing damage than my other one. I was cussed at and called names by a lot of the “other” students; you know who they are. I hope you weren’t from that group in school.
I was quiet, for the most part, and just wanted to be left alone and enjoy the friends I had. I was bullied, but only to a point. What grabbed me about this movie was the planning and extent these students went to because of the way they were treated in school. I saw students treated poorly in school when I was teaching; I stopped a lot of instances with bullies; however, I couldn’t be there all the time and I know it happened when I wasn’t around.
With all the national concern, the state concern, and the individual concern about bullying, my question is why does it still go on? So, I am asking you to speak up.
Why do you think bullying still goes on despite legal consequences?
Why do people treat other people this way?
In the movie, the bully asked the victim if he knew why he treated him this way; he didn’t. The answer, according to the bully was, “because you can’t stop me.”
The victim needs to stand up for him/herself, but it is up to us as adults to help the children, both the bully and the victim, to change and become better people, full of love and care and healthy self-esteem. Just an opinion.
_
Namaste,
Scott
Kindredspirit23's Blog 
Comments
For starters, I would hate this movie (no surprises there) and I also hate bullying. As a special ed. teacher and a parent of a son with special needs, I see bullying way too often for comfort. One of the things I’ve noticed over the years is those who do the bullying are often victims themselves (unfortunately, usually at home). They have often been so abused, verbally and/or physically, that they lash out at anyone and everyone in their path. Often the bully’s have special learning needs as well. I have learned that these young people would rather be known as ANYTHING but stupid and if that means being known as a bully, pothead, criminal… that’s exactly the “hat” they’ll wear & discard the “stupid” hat. Bullying is not an easy fix. It’s a deep, deep seeded problem that often runs several generational layers. So, the question is… How do we get to the root of the problem? Is it even possible? Sure, we can address the immediate issues by expelling the child, or what ever the consequences we choose to impose (kind of like masking the symptoms of a migraine with headache meds), but how do we as a society go about “correcting” the problem? Great post, Scott!!! It is good to ponder on this and look at ways we as individuals can help… and pray for God’s Wisdom & understanding with this.
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Since, of course, you would hate the movie, I have a suggestion: there is another movie – “The Good Witch” well worth your renting it or finding it and part of the message is the same. You would like it, I think.
Scott
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I will put it on my “movie-must-see” list 😀
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🙂
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I hate that there are bullies anywhere at all. I see it among adults too. I know at least for me, my reticence to stand up for myself came from my mother. She never stood up for herself against my dad. The amount of dread it gives me to speak up to defend myself when someone is taking advantage (not even in real bully situations, but just average envelope pushing sorts of ways) of me disugusts me. It’s a quality I dislike about myself. But, over the years I’ve learned to do it in spite of how it makes me feel. Kind of like public speaking. Can’t imagine I’ll ever begin to actually like doing that, but I want to do it in spite of how it makes me feel. Thankfully, I wasn’t bullied much as a kid. I’m sorry to hear you were.
Then too, some of it may be personality. There are aggressive types and passive types and it might have to do with biology.
Very likely, it’s a combination of lots of reasons.
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I was very passive in school. Not so much at all now. Now, I consciously make a decision on whether it is truly worth the mess. If not, then it is easy to ignore. If so, then watch out!
Scott
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I think there are those in the world that don’t ever think of the consequences in fact they impulsive react throughout life… so sad…I would guess that most of us have been bullied sometime in our lives.
Sounds like an interesting movie!
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It was very interesting. A little tough to watch at times, but not so horribly gory, just mentally taxing in parts.
I would recommend it for those who enjoy those types of movies.
Scott
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i hate to say it but a lot is learned at home.
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Don’t I know it.
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so sad
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