Inquiry launched into 'silent epidemic' of bullying

Julia said:

I can't say. I've worked for many different types of employers, often getting jobs over males. Imo unless a position is gender specific (e.g. physical strength required) most employers will look for the qualities any potential employee brings to the job, regardless of gender.

And let's remember that if there are 100 applicants for a position, lots of people are going to be disappointed, are reluctant to blame their lack of selection on personality or skills, and take the easy way of comforting themselves by asserting it's because they are female.

Once again, it ties in with the growing culture of encouraging people to believe they are owed a job, a living, a position in society. Just not so. You need to be better than the next person and be capable of demonstrating that.

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agree entirely with this, very respectful post.

While i dont see much coming from an enquiry, there should be some attention given to the fact that some people are genuinely bullied in the workplace that goes beyond the normal rough and tumble that goes on with interacting with people.

Nobody should have to work in a place where they are assaulted, threatened, are stolen from, publicly ridiculed, abused etc. The pull your socks up approach doesn't cut much ice with those people.

There are always going to be the norms and extremes.

I agree that some members of society have become a bunch of softies - but that case with the girl was just horrible.

Having said that - all these committees, inquiries etc by the government are nothing more but a waste of taxpayers money and a false sense of security for people who really need the service.

One more thing that really annoys me (and I can't believe it's not discriminatory) - is when companies implement a mandate saying that they want "x%" of management as females. Shouldn't it be the best of the best?

JTLP said:

There are always going to be the norms and extremes.

I agree that some members of society have become a bunch of softies - but that case with the girl was just horrible.

Having said that - all these committees, inquiries etc by the government are nothing more but a waste of taxpayers money and a false sense of security for people who really need the service.

One more thing that really annoys me (and I can't believe it's not discriminatory) - is when companies implement a mandate saying that they want "x%" of management as females. Shouldn't it be the best of the best?

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Yes.
Agree with your other comments also.

100% correct.

Julia said:

"Silent epidemic"? Anything but. The term 'bullying' is bandied about so much these days that people have become conditioned to taking offence at the slightest criticism.

Why are we encouraging people to be so precious and not to just stand up for themselves?

Imo this is just another attempt by the Federal government to shift attention away from their own trashed state. Anything to stop the ongoing commentary about Thomson et al.

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Julia said:

Once again, it ties in with the growing culture of encouraging people to believe they are owed a job, a living, a position in society. Just not so. You need to be better than the next person and be capable of demonstrating that.

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You dont think that all people should be entitled to a position in society ? Isnt that perhaps what seperates us from being wild animals ? its how we reach our fullest potential isnt it ?

I think that people - especially young just need guidance about their place in the said society ....

numbercruncher said:

You dont think that all people should be entitled to a position in society ? Isnt that perhaps what seperates us from being wild animals ? its how we reach our fullest potential isnt it ?

I think that people - especially young just need guidance about their place in the said society ....

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Oh dear, I think you're probably deliberately feigning misunderstanding of my point.
To indulge you, though, my point is that position/success/status has to be earned.
It is not a right, something to be enjoyed by all equally without effort.

Far too many people have been indoctrinated to believe that - if they decline to make an effort to improve their own outcomes - then the taxpaying public of those who do make the effort is obliged to support them. Perhaps you support such a notion.
I do not.

I'll note, however, that I believe we need to do a better job of caring for those people who genuinely are unable to care for themselves, i.e. the disabled, the mentally ill, the aged.

What I'd like to see is more of a cultural expectation that everybody should take the initiative and responsibility to create their own positive existence.

Instead, we seem to be succumbing to a culture of blaming everything and anyone for our own failures.