Cyber-bullying

My family has been discussing the issue of “cyber-bullying.” They are convinced that posting cruel and hurtful statements about someone online, or calling them names, or otherwise making fun of them, constitute cyber-bullying.

My position is that an online act can only be “cyber-bullying” if it first constitutes “bullying.” Making cruel hurtful statements about someone, calling them names, and making fun of them certainly qualify as harassment. But these acts, in and of themselves, don’t constitute bullying.

Bullying necessarily involves intimidation, threats, an attempt to create fear of harm, or to humiliate. A bully is not someone who is merely mean and hurtful, although bullies are mean and hurtful. A bully is someone who intentionally threatens and intimidates others in order to get his or her way - or to receive personal gratification from dominating another person. A jackass, however meanspirited and cruel, doesn’t do this.

This seems obvious to me.

Trouble is, I can’t get anyone to agree with me. Everyone in my family - and these are very intelligent people - insists that the acts described in the first paragraph are cyber-bullying.

So what? Am I missing something? If so, explain it to me.

I know its no big deal. The conceptual universe is not going to collapse if we fail to maintain the distinction between “jackass” and “bully.” But if there’s one thing I can’t stand its wilful conceptual confusion.

Joe H.