Alice Roosevelt Longworth was the daughter of one of America's most beloved presidents Theodore Roosevelt (西奥多罗斯福) She was also a writer who was famous for giving high-society (上流社会的) parties and being one of Washington, D.C.'s biggest gossips. On the sofa in her living room, there was an embroidered cushion which read, "If you can't say anything nice about someone, come sit next to me."
If Alice were still alive today (she died in 1980 at the age of 96)，she would feel right at home with modern social media .. at least the worst parts of it. Platforms such as WeChat and Weibo have become places where internet trolls (网络“喷子”) and bullies roam, spreading gossip and insults, and causing real harm to people, especially young people. This phenomenon of social media bullying (cyberbullying) is a worldwide problem. In February, UNICEF declared a special day, Safer Internet Day, to raise awareness of the problem and to discuss ways to solve it. According t0 the organization, as many as 20 percent of young people say that they have been bullied online. And the effects of this bullying can be destructive, leading to lower grades, lower self-esteem, depression and even suicide. UNICEF's Henrietta Fore says that the internet has become "a kindness desert".
Closer to home, a study of Chinese high school students found that 58 percent had been bullied and 38 percent had bullied someone either at school or on the internet. "'They spread rumors about you or defame (诽谤) you in order to isolate or marginalize (排斥) you," says psychologist Zhou Zhonghui."It is hard for people that age to bear, and it makes them depressed."
There are laws in China against cyberbullying, and offenders can be fined and have their accounts shut down. In fact, everyone can take steps to stop the bullying First, don't be silent If you are being bullied don't hesitate to tell your parents and teachers. Second, think before you post. Is your comment kind or hurtful? Would you like someone to say the same thing about you? Would you like your mother to read your comment? Alice Roosevelt Longworth's cushion was a humorous re-working of an old piece of wisdom: If you can't say anything nice about someone, don't say anything at all. By following that wisdom, you can make flowers bloom in the "kindness desert."
