Is peer pressure always bad?
When people hear the word “peer pressure,”
it is easy for them to think of the negative phenomena of minorities tending to
follow majorities’ idea when making a decision. True, there are a lot of
negative sides of peer pressure, but there is certainly a need to reconsider
about the misunderstanding of peer pressure. I think more positive than
negative effects exist.
The first thing that comes to my mind is
the peer pressure that I overcame when I first came to KMLA. I have never
stayed up all night before the quiz or exams, but all students in KMLA were
doing that. I felt quite pressured. I was worried about the possibility of
dozing during the exam. However, I was more worried about what would other
students think about me if I go to bed early while they stay up late. I decided
to stay up just like others, feeling the “peer pressure” within the students at
our school. The result was successful. There were many problems related to the
content that I studied the night before, and if I hadn’t studied, I would have
messed up my exams. Feeling the peer pressure in the group that studies hard encourages
us to study harder like others. This applies not only to studying, but also any
faction of friends not smoking, no drugs, exercising together, or any other
activities that are beneficial to our lives.
Peer pressure really can be good or bad
depending on what results will that specific activity will bring up. However, I
think that changing people’s attitudes toward peer pressure can also determine
whether peer pressure is good or bad. Rather, this can reduce the frequency of
bad peer pressure. I believe that peer pressure is fundamentally caused by
people’s likelihood of not understanding the diversity of thoughts among
others. People tend to think different is wrong. However, this is not true. We
should learn how to accept other’s thoughts, even if that specific thoughts are
from the minority group. If people do know how to respect minorities’ thoughts,
they would not be conscious about others’ attention, and finally would not feel
any peer pressure.
Being encouraged by the majorities can act
as a good peer pressure in some occasions.
In spite of these good peer pressures, we
should acknowledge the existence of diversity in thoughts. We are different,
not wrong.
Normally "peer pressure" is used in a negative connotation, but I agree, KMLA's peer pressure can often be positive, but really it's also competitive, which can cause stress. Everyone has their own pattern and approach to studying, and cramming the night before an exam is never the best approach. Anyways, good post.
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