Competition, jealousy and personal feelings (bullying) in Japanese schools and offices?

Question:

I've just stumbled on a very similar topic and it got me interested. Why is bullying in Japan so famous? Why can't they ignore others? Let's say I've read about a schoolgirl of 13 years old or so who jumped off the school roof to escape the bullying. Why was she bullied? Because she was exceptionally short. What do people get out of bullying? How to know which Japanese person one can trust? How do I know that my favorite Japanese celebrities are not bullies? I wouldn't watch their movies if I knew.

Answer:

I have a theory. Bullying is generally a way for people will low self-esteem to feel empowered by victimizing someone that is defenseless. This is true with many forms of victimization and not just bullying. This kind of psyche exists everywhere, and is a serious problem in many places. In Japan, bullying is at the pinnacle of attention. I believe the culture in Japan has a lot to do with it.

Culture is a lens through which people see the world. It shapes people's values, ideas, and attitudes. This, in turn, shapes people's actions. One thing about Japanese culture is that it's a very group-oriented society (as opposed to an American individual-oriented society). What I mean by that is that Japanese culture emphasizes unity in the group as well as attention to the welfare of the group. There are many, many examples I could cite to illustrate this, but I won't do that at this time. This group-centered mentality can be both good and bad depending on the situation. For example, it proved to be great in the recent natural disasters because people were not acting out of place by placing the needs of the group in front of their own personal needs.

I believe one negative impact of this group-centered society is its capacity to outcast those who are not part of the group. In other words, if a person in a class is a little different and has a hard time fitting in, the rest of the class may feel inclined to ignore this person. If there is a group in the class with low self-esteem and a chip on their shoulders, and if the outcasted person seems like a good victim, this could escalate into bullying.

Ultimately, bullies are trying to feel better about themselves because they feel worthless themselves. They're trying to feel empowered by placing themselves on a higher plane than other people. You can never really know who are bullies or who have been bullies unless they've been caught in the act or confess to having done so. The truth is, many people have the potential to become a bully but may not take action.

People of a similar psyche are the ones who abuse children or elders, rape, or otherwise prey on the weak for their own satisfaction. Bullying is unique in that it's generally a group act. My theory is that bullying thrives in Japan because of its group mentality that makes it easier for the victimizers to justify their actions.