By Kavyaa Shah
Clique culture is a broad topic of discussion as the word “clique” simply means a group of people that share similar interests and experiences, which we see on a daily basis. Whether the effects of clique culture are mentally unhealthy or harmless has been an undiscussed topic for a while and in the following text I will change that by discussing the roots of clique culture, its effects on interactions in a high school setting and if its harmfulness outweighs its benefits.
Thinking of the words “clique culture”, our minds would naturally go to a group of high school girls sitting at their regular table judging anyone in their eyeshot, which is natural considering every book, movie and tv show we’ve relished has shared that same cliché, for example, Mean Girls (2004). While clique culture doesn’t always follow this same stereotype and can come in many different forms, it is an unhealthy culture that has affected countless people's mental health.
Clique culture starts at a simple point: friendship; however, the way it progresses has a negative effect on others. People in a friend group that follows the ideology of clique culture are most likely to be popular, thus needing the stamp of approval from anyone on the outside. A clique like this often takes advantage of its high ground and begins to be exclusive and manipulative to others. Since the root of clique culture is friendship which is common, it is hard to predict the behaviours of a clique and to help victims of their bullying from harm.
As cliques are most often popular, others, do not simply want, but need their support and approval, cliques have a giant impact in a middle school/ high school setting. At that age most children are coming into terms with who they are and what they like, thus having a negative energy in their lives constantly attacking them can deeply affect their personalities. As cliques tend to be well-liked, people tend to speak to them more, interact with them more and be kind to them regardless of how they behave in response.
Having such popularity also affects the personality and behaviours of the people in the clique itself. They tend to have a higher confidence and a better sense of self, thus being extroverted enough to converse with other students, teachers and parents. Victims of clique’s bullying tend to lack confidence and are unaware of their self- worth as they believe they need approval of the clique to be deemed as worthy. In turn, they develop quiet personalities and stay within their boundaries and comfort zone.
Clique culture affects students' class participation as well as those with the confidence to do so would speak while others would stay silent with the fear of being incorrect and humiliated. Toxic clique culture at a young age has a large effect on people's personalities in the future and should not be tolerated in a school setting.
To further discuss the long-term effects of clique culture, we can look at the statistics of children bullied through clique culture. A survey conducted by an online website (School Education Gateway) states that 47% of students have heard of a pupil being bullied on a monthly basis, and 4% have found it to occur on a daily basis. These statistics show the number of students being put through trauma and verbal harassment on a daily basis at a place that is considered a safe space to grow into themselves. Why are schools, and more importantly, parents, not taking enough actions against this type of bullying? A seminar once a year is never enough.
It can be argued that clique culture is just another word for “clique”, which is a synonym for a friend group. It is not. Clique culture, by definition, specifically describes the culture around an unhealthy friend group that emotionally and verbally hurt each other and others. It is not something that can be ignored or brushed off, since it has manipulated and changed the dynamic of middle/ high school level students' lives over the years. The negative connotation “clique culture” has gained, it has gained for a reason. Ryan Halligan, Dawn Marie-Wesley, Nicola Ann Raphael. These were all young children that were victims of clique culture. We cannot let this go on.
Students by nature would be uncomfortable to report any bullying they have personally experienced or witnessed. This is why an adult with a child in their life like a parent, guardian or teacher, should be actively looking for signs of bullying. Additionally, in the event that someone is revealed to have bullied another, the bully must learn why bullying is not acceptable. This is usually done through punishment, which is not effective mort of the time. An adult should teach the effects of bullying and why it negatively impacts a person.
The negative effects of clique culture aren’t given the recognition they deserve. It is just associated with a 2000’s mean girls movie. This cannot be ignored and it cannot go on. Children everywhere should have the right and the opportunity to grow up in a safe space and explore their identities without judgement or hate. It is vital for their emotional, mental and spiritual progress. So, why is it so routinely ignored?
Comments