Boll Weevils, Bullying, and Kudzu

Nature maintains a delicate balance, and if this equilibrium is disrupted, consequences can swiftly unfold. In 1892, the boll weevil crossed the Rio Grande and infiltrated the United States. By 1909, it had reached Alabama, and by 1920, it had encroached upon every cotton-growing region in the country. The boll weevil wreaked havoc on cotton crops, pushing farmers and sharecroppers into bankruptcy and compelling them to abandon their plantations.

A few decades earlier, Kudzu was introduced to the South, touted as the Swiss army knife of plants—capable of serving multiple purposes, from porch coverings to inexpensive cattle feed and protection against soil erosion. Due to its versatility, it gained widespread adoption across the Southeast. However, Kudzu demands constant maintenance; without it, the plant spreads uncontrollably. As the boll weevil ravaged cotton crops, leaving plantations neglected, Kudzu seized the opportunity to flourish. A century later, Kudzu is labeled a "noxious weed," that covers an estimated 3,000,000 hectares of the American South, and you can’t drive a mile without seeing tree lines suffocating under swaths of the invasive green vine.

But…

You didn't come here for lessons in Southern Agriculture, so I assure you there is a point to all of this. Much like the boll weevil, there was an infestation that hammered American society in the mid-2000s called "Anti-bullying." This intellectual boll weevil known as, anti-bullying swept across the country, and schools began going to great lengths to ensure that no child would ever have their self-esteem shattered and no behavior would be labeled as wrong or weird again… no child would dare feel shame.

And just like the boll weevil, anti-bullying created a vacuum. There was no longer any defense against the weird, gross, or disordered. Little innocuous behavioral quirks were allowed to fester and blossom into full-blown pathologies. Behaviors once shunned by society were no longer held in check by a vanguard of "bullies"; instead, they were embraced and worn proudly, like a badge of honor.

You might be thinking, “But bullies are bad.”

Let’s think about that for a minute.

The term "bully" carries a negative connotation, and to be fair, there are extreme cases where its negative reputation is warranted. However, bullying is more than just the stereotypical, shoving kids into lockers; it serves as a social immune response. It is a mechanism through which children learn what is and what is not socially acceptable. Without the moderating influence of bullying, children may engage in socially detrimental behavior unchecked, leading to a scenario where the child who exhibits quirky habits, such as eating his boogers, becomes an adult who, well, eats his boogers.

Without the corrective influence of bullying, what could be considered awkward behavior, easily corrected in a socially normative environment, has the potential to evolve into deviant behavior. The absence of this social corrective measure allows for unchecked development of habits and actions that could otherwise be tempered by the collective understanding of social norms facilitated through interpersonal dynamics, like constructive criticism, or shame.

Moreover, the presence of some level of bullying in childhood contributes to resilience and the development of toughness. It instills the ability to navigate and cope with adversity, preparing individuals to face the challenges of adulthood. The absence of this social corrective measure not only allows unchecked development of potentially deviant behavior but also misses an opportunity to foster resilience and fortitude in the face of life's inevitable difficulties.

But never mind all that, because “Anti-bulling,” did its job, and the bullies are no more… Well sort of.

Nature abhors a vacuum; the anti-bullies became the bullies. Just as kudzu, left unattended, spread across the South, killing forests inch by inch, the children of the anti-bullying era have matured into adults who now dominate every inch of the natural hierarchy.

In the absence of the traditional checks and balances provided by the give-and-take of childhood interactions, the pendulum has swung to the other extreme. The well-intentioned effort to eliminate bullying created a void in the development of resilience and social navigation skills. Consequently, the anti-bullying generation, having never experienced the refining fire of interpersonal challenges, now find themselves in positions of influence, wielding power over societal structures.

Much like the unchecked spread of kudzu led to ecological imbalances, the unbridled rise of the anti-bullying ethos has disrupted the natural order of social dynamics. The consequences are evident as these individuals, now in authority, shape a world where the natural hierarchy is inverted.

We are now at the mercy of individuals who have never been told "no"; they've never faced mockery or shame. Instead, they have been consistently affirmed. They've received affirmation for their obesity, degeneracy, promiscuity, and any number of self-destructive behaviors. They proudly celebrate things that no one should take pride in, while simultaneously mocking and ridiculing those who, in any other era, would be considered high-status individuals worthy of imitation.

So, what’s the fix? Well, the only answer is to let kids be kids. Allow unstructured play, allow kids to self-correct, let them learn to navigate social situation without the constant intervention of adults. Let the hierarchy form naturally. Of course, in order to do this the rule of the kindergarten teacher must be dismantled, we must escape the “Longhouse,” which America is trapped in, but that is a conversation for another time.

Until then when the opportunity arises… give bulling a chance.

-TJS