Peer Pressure

This page was first published on the 25th of March, 2017 and last updated on the 25th of March, 2017 by Patrick Carpen.

Photo thanks to:
http://www.freeimages.com/photo/sailor-and-friend-156

Have you ever heard the expression “peer pressure” before and wondered what that really means? Perhaps you have an idea, but you don’t really understand the depths of the expression or the problem.

The word “peer” means someone who is close to you: both physically and emotionally. It also means someone who is very identifiable with you: who attend the same institution, is pursuing the same or a similar goal and is about the same age group.

Peer pressure is a very serious social problem that affects mostly teenagers. This is because the human mind in its infancy is very easy to influence or control.

On the other hand, a lot of the time, most people have negative intentions towards others. People often want others to fall into the same traps that they have. Have you ever heard the expression “misery loves company”? Well it’s true.

Often, peers will say things to their “friends” that are cleverly disguised garbage. They will paint it over and make it look good on the outside. But the intention will be to lead astray or cause loss or harm. Because a young mind is easy to influence, you buy the crap.

This is the sad reality of our world today.

That is why young people need to be careful of who they talk to and most importantly, who they listen to.

Peers cause their fellow peers to do things that may hurt them in the future: such as smoking marijuana, cigarettes, drinking and promiscuous sex.

They often paint a picture of what is “cool”. And like a virus, it spreads.

Very few youths are discerning. Very few youths raise up their eyebrows and think when they are whispered something by a “good friend”. They are the elite 1%. Through education, you can raise that number.

Be a good friend. Don’t say things that influence wrongly. And be a smart person: don’t take every advice you hear from your friends.