It's unsettling, the idea of playground tyranny extending into adulthood. I think it was Bill Gates who, at a school prizegiving, invited a stereotypically "nerdy" kid to stand beside him and told his school mates, "be nice to this guy - one day, he's going to be your boss."
Lovely sentiment -- but research shows chief executives are four times more likely to be psychopaths than the rest of the population. So, in reality, you're going to be working for your old high school tormentor.
There are many theories as to why bullying is so rampant here. But honestly, I think bullying behaviour has become normalised in our communities. And it's modelled at the very top.
Look to our Parliament. Regardless of whether you agree with his politics, we have a Prime Minister who repeatedly pulled a young woman's hair, made gay slurs on public radio, and has participated in humour making light of sexual violence.
New Zealand is also closely watching the US election -- where one of the presidential candidates is more famous for publicly mocking the disabled and breastfeeding women than his policies.
In our Parliamentary debating chamber, politicians belittle their colleagues with phrases like "zip it, sweetie", or throw punches when insulted.
Look at our top public servants and chief executives -- allegations of sexual harassment, physical assault, the more recent accusations of intimidation by senior staff at a leading Ministry.
And, if you're rich enough and white enough, bullying and abusive behaviour is barely punished -- permanent name suppressions, no jail time for grievous physical violence, a slap on the wrist for sons of cops and actors.
If our leaders are showing to lack integrity and empathy, what kind of example is this setting for the rest of us?
Bullying is a national shame, and warrants some serious soul searching. And it's nothing to do with our society "getting more sensitive or politically correct". As people we are starting to know better.
And we owe it to our workforce to do better.
