The Lack of Proper Attitudes Among Teenagers Has Led to a High Rate of Bullying

 The Lack of Proper Attitudes Among Teenagers 

Has Led to a High Rate of Bullying

By : Lestari Siregar

Accepted Date : 28 April 2025

    Attitude is the study of values, norms, and moral principles that shape human character. In this modern era, many teenagers don't have good attitudes due to a lack of education about attitude, unhealthy social environments, and the influence of social media, which has brought many changes to human life. This also negatively impacts to the high rate of bullying among teenagers.

    First, the lack of education about attitude. If education is not applied in everyday life, it can lead to an increasing in rude behavior, dishonesty, and a lack of sense of responsibility. For example, in schools, ethical education is not taught in depth, even though we have the "Projek Penguatan Profil Pelajar Pancasila" (P5) program, which teaches moral values and the principles of Pancasila. However, this program has not been running well due to various reasons, one of which is the lack of teachers understanding of P5, which becomes an obstacle in implementing the project. Without education about attitude, individuals tend to prioritize personal interests without considering the impact on others, which can ultimately damage social harmony and moral order.

    Second, an unhealthy social environment is a factor in the lack of attitude among teenagers because in such an environment, social norms and values are often ignored. The result of unhealthy social interactions frequently leads to various incidents, one of which is student brawls, such as those that occurred in Jakarta, involving students from two different schools. The brawl was triggered by a trivial issue but ended in violence, causing several students to be injured. This case illustrates that an unhealthy social environment can provoke acts of violence and harm both oneself and others. The lack of supervision and guidance from families, as well as weak social control, can worsen the situation, making teenagers more easily influenced without realizing the negative impacts. This, in turn, can shape a generation that is less concerned with ethical values.

    Third, the influence of social media. Social media has a significant impact on teenagers behavior, including their attitudes and manners. It has become a platform where bullying cases have increased due to anonymity, rapid information spread, reduced empathy, and the growing culture of cancel culture. People can easily express hatred or publicly humiliate others, often causing victims to suffer severe mental pressure. A real-life case is the bullying had by K-Pop singer Sulli, who received hateful comments for years due to being considered controversial in her opinions and performance. The immense social pressure from netizens eventually contributed to her death in 2019, serving as a major warning about the dangerous effects of cyberbullying. This case demonstrates that without awareness and stricter regulations, social media will continue to be a harmful weapon. If left uncontrolled, it could lead to moral decline and increasing cases of cyberbullying.

    The lack of ethics among teenagers is one of the main factors contributing to the rise in bullying cases. Teenagers who are not taught the importance of respecting others tend to act arbitrarily toward their peers. As a result, behaviors such as underestimate, humiliate, and even verbal or physical violence are becoming more common, creating an unsafe environment.