Peer Pressure

Did you think that peer pressure is something experienced only by children and youth? Well, think again!

I ride my scooter to work and face peer pressure on a daily basis. At almost every traffic junction, there is at least one fellow motorist behind me, honking to tell me I should cross, several seconds before the light turns from red to green. Even when I am just approaching a traffic junction, if the light has turned from green to orange (for the couple of seconds before turning red), there are more than one motorists behind me insisting that I keep going - even though traffic rules and common sense, both lean towards slowing down and stopping at the junction.

Sadly, however, this kind of peer pressure isn't limited to the roads. Even in the journey of life, people expect us to keep rushing forward. Remember Dr. Viru Sahastrabudhhe's speech in the 3 Idiots about life being a race? That's what I'm talking about. I'm sure every Indian can relate to this - of being told by friends, family, cousins - to keep moving forward. You're expected to get a degree, get a job, get married, get children - all of this one after the other, without a break.

Well, how do you respond to this?

The biker who heard the honking of a guy behind him, complied and jumped the red light, only to get caught by a policeman who suddenly emerged from a dark corner of the road. The guy who honked (the instigator) didn't move when he saw the instigated getting fined! I saw this happening and saw how relevant this is to life - that is why I am writing this post!

I am not saying that you should never listen to the people around you - there are those who mean well and may be giving you the right advice. Just choose the advice you take wisely! Whether you choose to comply or choose to stand your ground, remember that YOU WILL BE ALONE when dealing with the consequences of your decisions and their subsequent actions!





Comments

  1. Jerince Peter13 October 2019 at 21:23

    Very true... Roads are a challenging place and it's a good analogy to compare with our life journey.

    ReplyDelete

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