Why Peer Pressure Is Good
If You’re An Adult That Is
I am sure you can remember your teenage years, those elusive and inconsistent days when moods changed on a call, text, or romantic update. They were equal parts capricious and emotional, at least for me. And the pressure to fit in could’ve turned my lump of anxious coal into a social diamond.
Smoke this, drink that, party at Taylor’s house — anything can be fair game if your credibility of cool is on the very line.
All the while, parents worrying, caught in their own push and pull dilemma.
But what was something your parents always said?
“Don’t give in to peer pressure.”
“You are the company you keep.”
And of course, the undying gem:
“If everyone jumped off a bridge, would you do it?”
I was ballsy one time and responded with: “If everyone did it, then hell yeah!”
Can’t remember if I got grounded or not for that…
The point is — peer pressure in those formative years when the pre-frontal cortex (the rational part in charge of logical decision making) is still being formed, can be a negative. Or at the very least, a risk inducing venture.
But I submit that in the plodding and often monotonous years of “adulting”, the capability of pursuing new and risky experiences is a net positive. One that we often don’t take because of little things called:
R E S P O N S I B I L I T E S
But responsibilities don’t have to be excuses. When a friend chants for you to shotgun a beer, maybe you shouldn’t worry about looking like a fool and do it. When your girlfriend wants to take a trip on a whim even though your finances aren’t the greatest right now, do it!
The beauty of life is composed of experiences. The new and novel adds color, adds flavor, adds music and texture. There’s always going to be sound reasons not to give in to the spontaneous pressure of friends, family, and loved ones — but reasons don’t power the soul, they don’t beat the heart.
When we were teenagers, we were making it all up as we went along. And we reveled in that simple and unadorned fact. We screamed from bleachers and open car windows on the persistence of a backseat friend. We snuck into parties and did keg stands even though our stomachs were already somersaulting.
Now as adults it seems most of us would be ashamed to admit we’re still making it all up as we go along. We follow diet plans, eat plenty of vegetables, and travel the safest roads. And when someone even makes the slightest dare for us to do something out of our comfort zone, we make weird waving hand gestures and shake our head with hurricane force.
“Oh no, I couldn’t.”
It’s understandable. We’ve all got work in the morning, or kids almost asleep, mortgage payments and bills that must be paid. VERY IMPORTANT THINGS no doubt, but we lost little by little the wonderful glory of peer pressure.
The scary magic of our teenage years that caused trouble. But now, a little magic can go a long way.
A shock to the system, a pulse of life, a new experience — to be breathless again is a breath of fresh air.
And peer pressure has ceased to be quite so dangerous.
Therefore, I go back to my parents. “If everybody jumped off a bridge, would you do it?”
Hell yeah!
The advantages of peer pressure are only realized once clear of the teenage wasteland.
