Internet Bullying (Explicit)

This has been on my mind for weeks. I've wanted to write a journal about it, but get a bit conflicted as I start to type it.
Why is it that in the digital artist community here on deviantArt, some artists find it okay to bully artists that aren't at their own art level yet?
This isn't just something I have witnessed, it's something I went through for years on deviantArt. It was much more severe on here then it was when I was animating on YouTube. Why? Out of everything, you think the art website would be more open to improving artists then a video site.
Yet back then, the artists that, if I look back on it weren't too 'good' themselves would pick on the smaller fish. I realize it wasn't just me that was getting negative judgement but a lot of the furry artists that had about the same artistic value as I did. I do not remember being given positive criticism whatsoever in this period of my life.





(You will not be able to find the majority of these comments since the art they are posted on is stored.)

The majority of this happened in 2010-2011, when my art was still improving and I was around 13 at the time. I was mostly focused on friends rather than improving my artwork which is normal at that age. After the bullying started to subside, the consequences started to settle in and I would continue bullying my own artwork long after the rude comments ended. It had crushed my self esteem to the point where all I was expecting were negative comments and I didn't believe the positive comments I would receive.






Eventually, sometime around the early middle of 2012 it finally occurred to me that instead of taking these comments and storing them in my brain as an excuse to hate myself I would instead turn them into a type of negative reinforcement. That's when the improvement begun.
   

The last blow I got towards my art was in October, a day or so after I had posted this.

I had finally let everything sink in including the idea that had popped up in my head earlier that year. I realized that in order to improve not my art but my self esteem was to rise above all of the negativity I had received and instead turn it into something good. So, for lack of better wording, I pushed all of the judgement and hate I had gotten into my artwork, which then in turn started to improved rapidly in my eyes. I know I have become a better artist over the last half of 2012 - but that's not only what I am talking about. I have learned to love my artwork, because it is a part of me. I can't change how it's going to look just like I can't change how I look. You have to give things time, because if everyone was born with amazing artistic talent, being an artist wouldn't be rewarding anymore now would it? & anyone who tells me or anyone else otherwise is fooling themselves.

So simply put, this is directed towards both the assaulter and victim. All of the people reading that have targeted an artist lower in skill then them, you really need to stop. While it might be encouraging you in some form, it is hurting the budding artist in all forms. It is so much more rewarding to be a positive influence to others than a negative one, and if you want attention from others, you should start by being a better person. You are killing a flower before it has been allowed to blossom.

Before I end this journal I want to say I have been in the shoes of both the victim and the bully. I went through stages in my life where I would feel better about myself by poking fun at other people and I have learned now that's it's not right. I didn't write this to judge anyone, but to bring some closure to what has been bugging me recently and hopefully open the eyes of a few people. Thanks for reading this