In the article written by Ronald Alexander, he tackles the issue of cyberbullying. He believes and states as one premise for his argument a lack of empathy and compassion is fueling this epidemic. Without a sense of empathy, one cannot understand what others are feeling as a result of his or her words or actions. One also cannot be open to feelings, ideas and concepts that differ from those he or she holds to be true. Without compassion, there is an absence of understanding, love, appreciation, and respect for others.
He states that the anonymity the Internet provides “can encourage people to be cruder online than they would be face-to-face.” He argues a stated premise that this anonymity for those who lack empathy and compassion makes it easier to make “cowardly attacks on others from a distance.” This also seems to suggest that in an anonymous environment, these bullies can prey on those they perceive to be weaker than themselves without fear of repercussions making their attacks more vicious than they might have been otherwise. (Alexander, 2012)
In an unstated premise, he suggests that the bully’s actions are just as harmful to themselves as it is to those they are bullying calling it a “poor use of energy” and saying this behavior limits their own growth. He goes further to say that wise intention is not just a matter of a being ethical, but also “necessary for one’s psychological well-being and clear thinking.” (Alexander, 2012)
In another unstated premise, he offers a suggestion that the bully may be acting out of character due to personal circumstances they are not mature enough to deal with productively. In yet another unstated premise, he points out that this epidemic can be stopped by teaching “how the values of creativity and hope can inspire and help people feel that growth is possible” and we do this by being role models for those around us. (Alexander, 2012) The conclusion is that this epidemic of cyberbullying can not only be