Playground bullies do prosper – and go on to earn more in middle age

www.theguardian.com

Children who displayed aggressive behaviour at school, such as bullying or temper outbursts, are likely to earn more money in middle age, according to a five-decade study that upends the maxim that bullies do not prosper.

They are also more likely to have higher job satisfaction and be in more desirable jobs, say researchers from the Institute for Social and Economic Research at the University of Essex.

Capitalism rewards bad behavior

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MicroWave @lemmy.world

1y ago

Playground bullies do prosper – and go on to earn more in middle age

www.theguardian.com /society/2024/mar/24/playground-bullies-do-prosper-and-go-on-to-earn-more-in-middle-age

Global News @lemmy.zip

BrikoX @lemmy.zip

1y ago

Playground bullies do prosper – and go on to earn more in middle age

www.theguardian.com /society/2024/mar/24/playground-bullies-do-prosper-and-go-on-to-earn-more-in-middle-age

19 comments

Capitalism is literally anti-social, like you said it rewards bad behavior. I hate that anti-social just means not liking people in pop culture and not the whole range of terrible behavior like being a bully or even worse a crybully.
- I think it's rather Capitalism promotes toxic social behavior, but it doesn't promote being anti-social necessarily.... though that'd be one of its side-effects...
  
  That's the actual meaning of anti-social. You'll even see it referred to in some governments' communications. It's the newer term for sociopathy it looks like.
Who the hell ever thought bullies don't prosper? They never had a boss?
- I guess there's a liberal idea that bullies will get their just deserts when they enter "the real world", but idk if anyone actually believes it, just something to that effect gets said a lot to kids
Turns out being bullied horrifically sets you up with a lifetime of mental issues that make it hard to survive. Being the one doing that only teaches you that there will be no real consequences for your actions and you can and should intimidate and threaten and bully people into getting you what you want (like that promotion).
Also, hardly surprising that the most toxic people thrive in the most toxic society, while less toxic and horrible people struggle.
Yeah if you look at people at the top, a ridiculous percentage of them are complete sociopaths
- I’ve had a decently long career in the corporate world. It’s definitely true that the smartest and most hard working people aren’t necessarily making the most money. If I could identify one characteristic of what seems to get people promoted and into higher paying jobs, it tends to be the ability to exert your will on others. It’s possible to do this without being a bully, but it’s pretty rare.
  But the idea that capitalism a meritocracy where the smartest and hardest working people earn the most is definitely bunk.
  
  But the idea that capitalism a meritocracy where the smartest and hardest working people earn the most is definitely bunk.
  IIRC "meritocracy" was coined as a sarcastic term for a deeply nepotistic system, mocking how it portrayed itself as elevating "the best" when it was actually just elevating inbred aristocratic failsons. Liberals of course seized upon and adopted the term unironically in much the same way Americans adopt Starship Troopers' fascist absurdity unironically.
One of those "I knew this to be true before I read the article" article.
Personality predates Ideology, you were a bully and a dickhead before you were a Fascist. If you agree that Nazis get punched, then your kids should agree that bullies get punched.
Get bulled once, tell your teacher, get bullied twice, tell an admin, get bullied 3 times? Give the bully the consequences they earned.
Ruthlessness is rewarded in companies. Aggressive dickheads in school are aggressive dickheads in workplaces but age results in them adapting it for the setting.
Can we have meritocracy?
We have meritocracy at home
The meritocracy:
As shown by the documentary Back to the Future 😌
It's because they learn how the system works. Bullies learn what is just exactly acceptable and then they keep going to that line and push and push until their victim breaks and gets punished for retaliating. Seen it too many times. Schools that have zero-tolerance policies are havens for bullies.
A lot of bullies just have high levels of confidence and good social skills. Most of them work out their sadism and lack of empathy in childhood and become well-adjusted adults.

19 comments