So sad.

Excellent point, Mr. BIG_DADDY. Back in my day, it wasn't real bullying until your junior high school enemies tried to take a hatchet to your mom. Those guys really knew their bullying. Forget about self-esteem, you were risking your life merely walking the streets or going to the store or attending class. Those were the days when real bullies roamed the hallways and byways.

They were almost as bad as the medieval bullies you read about who, if they could catch you, would put the Caltrop or Greek Fire to your ass.

FAX

Was she a Chiefs fan?

Chiefs planet it is going to be linked to 1 of these 1 of these days

that is sad. I'd have been hittin that back when I was 16, not telling her to off herself.

It may already have been.

I don't know about all that but kicking the crap out of someone would certainly qualify as real bullying to me. Words on the internet, not so much.

Any child who's self-esteem is that low is certainly a refection of their parents ability to raise them as well. Huge failure.

I don't disagree. It's pretty clear that parents can instill into a child the qualities that generally comprise self-esteem.

On the other hand, teen angst has always been around and depression is no respecter of status or intelligence or wealth or any of the things upon which most persons base their self-worth.

Having known several young persons who either committed suicide or self-destructed in other less dramatic ways simply due to an inability to function in normal society, I conclude that it's a very complex issue for which simple answers are hard to come by.

FAX

Verbal bullying is real. Many children suffer from low self esteem. Teen socialization has been dramatically altered by electronic communication. Welcome to 2012. Don't nap too long. It's almost 2013.

Actually, napping until 2013 sounds like a great idea. ****. I'm old.

Yea well, there are a lot of really shitty parents out there. I agree that being rich, intelligent or having high social status has nothing to do with it. It's all about being a good parent and raising that child from a young age to have a solid boundaries and a good self-esteem. I can't tell you how many parents just work and let other people raise their kids. They don't even know them. How many of these cases do you see the parents say "I didn't even know they were upset"

I need to percolate on that one, Mr. BIG_DADDY.

As I mentioned, I've known several young people who chose suicide over the alternatives available to them. I need to reflect on whether or not the people around them (including parents) indicated at the time that they knew about their emotional problems. At the moment, I don't have a clear memory of that.

FAX

RIP Goatboy, we'll miss your videos.

serious question: were there as many teen suicides in the 50s/60s etc?