Carrie 3: Her Revenge - An Essay on Social Taunts and their Impacts
Christina Stepnitz

Picture this: a girl enters a classroom garbed not in the latest fashion from the Gap but rather in a mismatched Goodwill outfit and coke bottle glasses. A duct tape-patched backpack hangs limply from her shoulder as she takes her seat. Behind her, the prima donnas have their daily laugh at her expense, not even trying to mask their hateful words as they smooth down Abercrombie and Fitch sun dresses and twirl perfect platinum blonde hair. Suddenly, the object of their scorn whirls around and puts to use deadly kung fu fighting that would rival even that of Jackie Chan or Jet Li. Her nemeses now permanently defeated, the girl can calmly sit down again, prepared for class.

Sounds kind of like a hackneyed version of the movie Carrie, doesn't it? The scary part is that this is in fact a very real scenario, at least in some respects. All of us at one time or another have been subject to the scorn and ridicule of another person and have envisioned in our minds exactly how we would like to inform them of what we think about their "expert" opinions. Perhaps you wore something once that had special personal meaning and had to hear from your friends all day about how stupid it looked. Maybe you expressed an unpopular position in class and spent the remainder of the discussion defending it. The sad fact is that humans seem to get a sick satisfaction out of making others feel, well, like shit. We tend to get our kicks by singling out one person in the crowd who might just be "a little different". Even among groups of friends, one of the favorite pastimes appears to be picking out one or more people in that group to put down. We are obsessed with pushing our limits with people and seeing just how much we can get away with. Many conflicts within our society are caused by this tactic when, in truth, they could just as easily be avoided.

It is true that no one can say that they aren't guilty of giving into the temptation of teasing someone for their likes and dislikes, myself included. However, it is essential that we consider this: How does it feel when the tables are turned and we are the ones under scrutiny? Think about it, how many times have you cried or went off on people who were making fun of you? Be honest. Now, consider this: When you torment others, you make them feel all the depression or anger you have felt while being made fun of. Therefore, I ask again, why do it?

I do not mean to sound like a school counselor at a school rally or even, god forbid, your mother. However, the simple fact remains that generally, the person being teased is not having fun at all. It is important that you remember that though someone might like clichéd sci fi films rather than sappy romances or listens to classical music and show tunes instead of Brittany Spears and P. Diddy, that doesn't make them any less of a person than you. Just because you have the dart in hand doesn't mean that you have to throw it at the bull's-eye. Try putting the dart down for once and have a conversation with the person rather than exchanging insults. You might be surprised at what you learn about them and even, maybe, yourself.

I'm going to end with a piece of advice my mother gave to my brothers and I when we were growing up: If the other person is not laughing, then it is not funny. Think about it.