The Power of Peer Pressure

We so often think peer pressure is something children and young adults have to deal with and once you are older, you are past that problem, but I believe modern marketing and television shows are in their own ways producing that same sort of pressure. I keep seeing it over and over. Just recently had a conversation with a woman in her 50's who shared with me in a very casual manner how her own children influence her by their approval or disapproval. She wants to be up with the times in their eyes, fearing to appear outdated or old so she listens to music she really does not like and has gone so far as to decorate her kitchen to her daughters taste and not her own. I suspect this woman is not alone. Lots of middle agers seem to be better at doing things to seek approval than doing what they really want or what they believe in. Might be something as simple as words used or music listened to. Might be we are wearing clothes we don't even like but hate to appear old fashioned or not "hip" or whatever word they use now.

This kind of caving in to the peer pressure is what has gotten so many people into financial woe these days. We have to keep up with what we see others doing. We have closets the size of rooms and garages so full of things we don't use that there is no room for the car. We buy cars as a social statement rather than buying what we need or is affordable. We spend money on magazines that influence us to buy more and more. We have so many crafts that we have rooms that look like stores, We have pantries full of foods bought on a whim, that later end up being given away or collecting dust. We are pushed by peer pressure to be people we really are not.

Being pushed like that doesn't bring us to happiness, but leads us to be fake and discontent, always looking to find something beyond where and who we are.

What is it we tell the young people in regard to peer pressure.... stand tall and be yourself.