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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43915
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/43915
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Only social success imply validation and agreement. It is entirely possible that these are given without verification. A bully may become socially successful when most people in society were not the victims, and they did not know/ignored the bullying activity. This may be quite common, actually, in particular in groups where bullying focuses on a small number of victims.

To treat them fairly:

- give the bully a reason. You don't want your character to wear the mask of a stock villain. You need them to be compelled to act in the way they do, and to either feel a sense of purpose in doing it (e.g. they defend some ill-perceived ideals), or a sense of addiction (e.g. they wish they had not done so, but in the spur of the moment they were lured in by the thirst for power), or simply a lack of means to communicate (e.g. they wished to express their frustration, got a negative answer, escalated).

- give their success a reason. People may cheer the bully if they identify with their purpose. People used to cheer at the hanging of murderers, or at the stoning of adulterous women. We may abhor it, but that is because we see it through the lenses of our values, and our experience. Give the reader the lenses of that particular group, dwell into their feelings, their needs, their fears and their struggles, and you may find yourself cheering at the bully.

- be just. Reward the effort, and give prizes in the direction where the effort goes. Bright and dedicated students will succeed in their studies, regardless of whether they are bullies or victims. 

- inform yourself. Before you write a slice-of-life story, claiming that 'this is how the world works', make sure you do really understand how it works. It is easy to mistake our limited vision for the truth. The world is often way more complex and nuanced than we originally thought. If you have the chance, throw yourself into it, and experience both sides of the characters in your story: it will be very illuminating.

- brace for criticism. Bullying is regarded as a crime. No matter how fair your treatment, or how skilled your writing, there will always be readers who are not willing to compromise on this topic.

Original score: 3