"Brendan O’Neill states that “the ideas of ‘workplace bullying’ and ‘university bullying’ are common currency today” and that “we are all worse off as a result of this bullymania”.
On this website, we have already highlighted the problems with Brendan O'Neill's contention that minor actions/events are considered as bullying.
In our post on January 8th, 2012, we stated:
"On
this website we have used the term bullying to reflect serious and
ongoing behaviour which negatively impacts the victim - bullying at the
University of Newcastle is a serious issue. We do not (or did not)
behave as fragile, over-sensitive employees. We were doing our jobs,
usually doing them very well but the serious ongoing behaviour that we
experienced has been
- the loss of jobs,
- loss of health,
- loss of future employment,
- loss of family and friends
- loss of self-worth
- ostracism etc.
A
quick read of posts and comments on this blog will clearly demonstrate
that we are not wilting violets who have over-reacted the the everyday
rough-and-tumble of university life.
Perhaps Brendan O'Neill should read some more about the real bullying that happens rather than dismiss all reports of bullying as being frivolous and unfounded.
How
would he feel if he lost his career, future employment, mental and
physical health, relationships, independence and self-worth? What would
he call that?"
If the university really wants to move forward, it has to address the submissions to the Senate inquiry into workplace bullying by former academics whose careers and lives have been destroyed by many of the bullied still in power.
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