When bullying wins everyone suffers

MUSCAT, FEB 11

It begins with a choice: fight, flee, or submit. Bullying, whether in our schools, businesses or international relations, in its purest form, is the deliberate use of power to instil fear and force submission. It thrives on imbalance—one side dominates, the other retreats or complies. Whether in the schoolyard, the boardroom, or global politics, the mechanics remain the same: fear is manufactured, trust is eroded, and control is secured. As someone who experienced bullying and suffered its short and long-term consequences, I know that while the cost of submitting to power may seem smaller, there is always an unbearable, higher hidden cost of the cycle of fear.

This is not a modern phenomenon. Ibn Khaldun, the 14th-century historian and social thinker, observed cycles of power in societies, where dominant groups used coercion to sustain authority. Today, the methods may have evolved, but the process remains unchanged. The only difference is that bullying is no longer just a behaviour; it is a strategy. What was once condemned is now accepted, even admired. Strength is increasingly measured not by integrity, but by the ability to impose one’s will on others.

The rebranding of bullying has reached new heights. The global stage has turned intimidation into an art form, a negotiation tactic, a way to win. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the leadership style of US President Donald Trump. His rise to power has been fuelled by an unapologetic use of bullying tactics: public humiliation, threats, and the relentless undermining of opponents. The logic is simple—make people fear the cost of defiance, and they will choose compliance over resistance. Another bullying example is the genocidal settler colonialism of the Zionist Occupation of Palestine, criminalised for almost 80 years by the United Nations, International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court.

Fear has become the currency of influence, used to silence dissent, reshape narratives, and bend people to the will of the powerful.

This is not unique to one leader or country. Across the world, corporations, media influencers, and occupation regimes have learned the same playbook. Fear has become the currency of influence, used to silence dissent, reshape narratives, and bend people to the will of the powerful. In business, it manifests as workplace toxicity, where employees hesitate to challenge decisions, fearing retaliation. In politics, it breeds polarisation, where truth is secondary to power. In society, it deepens mental health crises, normalising cycles of abuse and submission.

The consequences of this shift are far-reaching. When bullying is legitimised, the cost is not just personal — it is structural. Institutions weaken as accountability erodes. Trust fractures as deception becomes routine. Fear spreads as people learn that speaking out carries risks. The worst consequence, however, is the loss of courage. When individuals believe submission is the only viable option, they stop resisting altogether.

The antidote is not simply to expose bullies but to dismantle the conditions that empower them. Fear thrives in divided environments; unity disrupts its grip. Coercion depends on silence; speaking up challenges its authority. Manipulation succeeds when people lack critical thinking; knowledge renders it ineffective. The lesson from history is clear—bullying flourishes when submission is the norm, but every cycle of oppression eventually breaks. The only question is whether we will be the ones to break it.