Building Up vs Bullying

Bullying vs Questioning

When you think of being “bullied” do you think of a student cowering in a hallway as a group of bigger students mocks, taunts or physically abuses them? In middle school, a time of extreme angst for most of us, I was routinely picked on. I still wouldn’t have called that, or known to call that, being “bullied”. I remember going home angry and upset and my mother trying to reassure me that I should just “…ignore them”.

If another adult makes a statement that you think is incorrect or not well supported and you question it publicly, on social media or privately in an e-mail, does that count as “bullying” or are you: discussing, questioning, debating?

With the advent of social media we don’t need to be physically close to question a comment or even taunt or pick on someone. We can do it from the comfort of our living room, workplace or local coffee shop as we type anonymously, or somewhat anonymously on a keyboard.

But First

I became a dietitian in my 30’s because I was fascinated by the intersection of food, nutrition and health. I grew up with a father who had Type 2 diabetes and saw how his eating habits affected his mood. As a young college student, long before taking my first chemistry or anatomy class, I had experimented with being a vegetarian, fasted so I could fit into a slim cocktail dress, religiously counted calories and watched the scale. As I learned more about the science behind nutrition I realized the fallacies behind many of the beliefs and practices of my early years.

Beliefs

Both during my undergraduate at the University of Maryland and my dietetic internship with the U.S Army there was a strong emphasis on science. The constant refrain was: data, outcomes analysis, proof and sources. I soon realized many of the beliefs I had as a teen and even young college student weren’t based on science or evidence.

Taking a stand

In 2014 I created the “BuildUP Dietitians” Facebook page. I wanted to have a place to promote dietitians that take a #stand4science. I didn’t expect all dietitians to share the same perspectives or opinions, but here’s the thing, our profession isn’t supposed to be based on our own opinions or anecdotes but on science and evidence. I realize that the science of food and nutrition is constantly changing and evolving and that makes it both fascinating and challenging.

Phone a Friend

Over the years I’ve learned from those that have more experience or training in different fields. I’ve interviewed experts for blogs, articles and the radio that have expertise in areas that I know little about…like pediatric nutrition, farming, agriculture, biotechnology, sports nutrition, research, allergy testing and then I try and share that information with the public or share their articles or blogs on BuildUP Dietitians.

Social Media and Science

Social media has given many of us a platform that didn’t exist before. It’s like speaking in front a very large group all. the. time. Even when you are responding to just one person it is possible for thousands of others to see that interchange unless you are using private messages. So when we tweet/post/blog about food, nutrition or agriculture people are paying attention. Even if they don’t respond or react they are still watching and taking note. Don’t we have a responsibility to lead with science and evidence, and not with anecdotes and opinions, or at the very least to qualify our posts/tweets as opinions, advertisements or sponsored content?

What if..

Let’s say you see something posted that you know to be inaccurate, for example, someone tweets or posts that “organic is pesticide-free”. What are your choices?

1. Ignore both publicly and privately — It’s not your battle. Pro’s: You won’t embarrass the person. You won’t engage with the person.; Con’s: The information is now “out there” without being challenged so others may think this is a true statement.
2. Ignore publicly but write to the person privately — Pro’s: you won’t embarrass the person and they won’t feel publicly challenged. They may appreciate the information you send them or your perspective. ; Con’s: Others watching that person’s posts may think it’s a true statement because no one has countered it. The person who has made the incorrect post may not see/read your private comments. Or they may see or read your comment but not appreciate it or ignore it.
3. Respond publicly — Pro’s: Others will see this and may realize that there is another perspective; Con’s: The individual may feel challenged and become defensive and engage with you in a negative way.

Address the Message

Sometimes others write me with examples of posts that they believe or know to be incorrect information. They are frustrated and sometimes even angry, especially when the information is coming from people who they feel should be leading with science. My recommendation is always to start by trying to reach out to the person individually and if possible and appropriate, privately— address the message. Politely ask the person to clarify their comment/post/tweet with a citation or reference. If they don’t respond try providing a link or citation that is evidence-based.

Don’t Attack the Messenger

Once you interact with someone publicly on a platform like Twitter, even if you think you are engaging in a positive and constructive way, your exchange is visible to a large audience. At this point more people, maybe even thousands, are watching. In some cases if a person believes their point of view is being challenged they may feel they are personally being attacked and become defensive. They may refer to this as being “bullied” and their response may be to retaliate by attacking you.

What’s the bottom line?

When you feel the need to question or debate someone on social media, visualize yourself face to face with that person and phrase your tweet/post accordingly.