The researchers into bullying at the University of Minnesota asked schoolchildren to say how aggressive their classmates were and also which members of the opposite sex they would ask to a party. They concluded that “boys have high status with their male peers if they are bullies, and girls like them”. They may have asked the right questions but drawn the wrong conclusion (5 March, p 49). As the father of a pre-teenage girl I think I can offer an insight into the reason why people might ask bullies to parties. Quite simply because if you don’t, they will make sure nobody else comes. If you ask the bully you have a good chance there will be other, more attractive people there too. If you don’t you may be on your own.
From Claire Wilkinson (14)
The reason the blue “Beat Bullying” wristbands sold out so fast was that they are very fashionable. Everyone in my form wants one, but I don’t think many of them mind what issue they are for. They buy the cancer ones as well. My friend has about five of them.
By the way, I sort of object to the cover of this issue. I do not have an “alien” mind.
Advertisement
Barnard Castle, County Durham, UK
From Richard Wilson
So Steven Leigh thinks teenagers evolved in response to the need to walk long distances, does he (5 March, p 38)? This will not convince any parent who has ever tried to get their teenager to come out for a nice Sunday stroll. My theory is that teenagers only came into being after the invention of the bed, when young humans were presented with somewhere they could spend the whole day. This makes it a very recent development. I will revise my opinion if evidence is found of text messaging ability in Homo erectus.
Belper, Derbyshire, UK
