The problem with bullying as a magic bullet to win hearts and minds

Amorn Wanichwiwatana

Special to The Nation

Bullying seems to be considered by many in the younger generation as an effective weapon to conquer enemies or those who think differently from your side. Even a renowned Thai comedian is smearing politicians and celebrities with a stream of jokes to squeeze laughs from his audience. Meanwhile, a celebrity who raised millions for hospitals in a charity swim across the Mekong River was bullied by many who disagreed with his cause and perhaps also envied his fame. Some slammed the campaign as a waste of time, accusing the swimmer of adding to the burden of rescue teams tasked with protecting him. Others suggested anyone staging charity campaigns should have to state their purpose clearly and gain permission from authorities, to ensure they are not promoting merchandise or seeking material or reputational benefits. I support this idea, but I also have no problem with campaigners who work for the public good – as long as their logic and reasoning are acceptable.

Political views sometimes contain secret or even overt bullying towards their target. One current example stands out: When Rishi Sunak became the first Asian prime minister of the UK, several critics suggested he was a puppet installed in a shrewd move to please India and thereby block the rise of new superpower China. Speculation like this might be ridiculous, but the absurdity did not end there. Worried that “Sunak” sounds like the Thai slang word for dog, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry consulted the Royal Society on how to pronounce the new British PM’s surname.

“Ri-Shi-Zoo-NAEK”, came the answer, no doubt prompting sighs of relief from Thai diplomats and newscasters.

Judging from my own research – conducted by asking students in my classes for their opinions on hot social issues – people nowadays are very keen on bullying.

However, most of them seem to lack coherent arguments of their own. Much of what they articulate comes from social media and other vociferous critics. So, I started a new session by asking them to write an article expressing their attitudes and criticism of several messes in our society. By doing this, hopefully, they will not be so easily persuaded or directed by those who see the naivety of Thai youths and take advantage of our young people.

My observations above suggest many Thais prefer to see bad things happen to others rather than supporting people or helping out. Jealousy, envy, hate, bullying and other social toxins are pleasurable leisure pursuits for many of us. Recently, I asked a friend who works in the judicial system for her opinion on bullying and recent events. I often share my personal views and thoughts with her, not because of her important role as a court judge, but because of her well-rounded thinking and academic background in mathematics, psychology and law. They give me confidence her responses will be full of logic and professional reasoning.

One question we tackled in depth was whether bullying acts as a “magic tool” to win trust and dominate someone else. We both agreed that humans have inherited their instinct for violence and pessimism as part of their survival kit since primitive times.

And if we are honest with ourselves, we have to admit that these negative traits still operate in our genes. That’s why most people happily watch others being teased or bullied and often find it hilarious. More significantly, some use bullying tactics to induce or persuade agreement from people by branding others as stupid or ignorant.

I always question those who disagree with our norms and culture. In my university, many students are opposed to wearing uniforms or ignore traditional festivals such as Loy Krathong and celebrate Christmas and Halloween instead. Well, no offence taken: it can be a very good idea for people start to assimilating other cultures, as in the UK where people are open-minded enough to accept a prime minister of Asian descent background or the US where Americans have welcomed Kamala Harris as vice-president. However, I am surprised that Thais would embrace other cultures while ignoring their own. Does this constitute another kind of bullying?

Last but not least, many are seeking freedom, free speech and concern for others. Which makes me wonder why many are still using violence and hate speech to coerce others into agreeing with their views. Recently a right-wing activist and frequent whistle-blower was beaten up by a man who claimed to be on the opposite political side. Meanwhile, another controversial figure assaulted the founder of the Move Forward group at a crowded event while yelling he had a bomb. Both incidents are now being dealt with by the justice system, but the law appears to be no deterrent for those determined to use violence, hate speech or bullying to win an argument.

Thinking and trends change from one generation to the next, but people still cling to mayhem, destroying and neutralising what they disagree with. To win hearts and minds and pursue their personal goals, they tend to use any means necessary – even breaking free from reality to ensure their success. Is this a good idea?

Amorn Wanichwiwatana, DPhil (Oxon), is a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University.