Young People Are Often Influenced In Their Behaviours By Others In The Same Age Group
Sample essay
Young people especially juveniles have a herd mentality. They do what their friends or peers do. This is actually a result of the desperate need to fit in. Peer pressure, in my opinion, is more disadvantageous than advantageous for youngsters.
Young people seek too much validation from their peers. They want to wear the same kind of clothes, follow the same fashion and use the gadgets as their friends. They watch movies of the same genre and often adore the same people. This is not exactly a result of them having the exact same tastes, needs and wants. In fact, it is a reflection of their need to fit in. Youngsters do not want to stick out. For example, my teenage daughter has suddenly become a fan of K-pop. It is not really because she enjoys that kind of music. Rather it is because her friends are all talking about it in school and she just does not want to be left out.
While watching a movie that your friends watch or following a fashion trend that they follow is relatively harmless, sometimes peer pressure can put young people in harmful situations. For example, it is not uncommon for teenagers to start smoking or do drugs just because their peers are doing it. In the same way, sometimes teens coming from poor family backgrounds fall into depression because of their inability to keep up with the living standards of their affluent peers. These children may even get into illegal activities to earn money. Peer pressure can also seriously impact the emotional well being of young people when they get subjected to bullying.
In conclusion, yielding to peer pressure is largely disadvantageous for young people. While it is quite natural for young people to want to fit in, one should always know the limits. If peer pressure is forcing one to make drastic changes to one’s lifestyle or beliefs, it is important not to succumb to it.
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