THE PEER PRESSURE- ITS PROS AND CONS THE TEEN AGE CHALLENGES

The peer is group of being of similar age or rank or status. Sometimes as synonym to peer the words like companion, fellow and mate are used. As we all well know the famous statement of Aristotle that “Man is a social animal. Outside of the society either he is god or monster. And in the words of another well known and famous sociologist, Mcyver and Page is that “Society is the web of social relationship”.

We take birth with certain unique features and peculiarities that create differences in us and these differences lead us to imperfections. Here I intend to say that each and every individual is distinctly imperfect and incomplete. These imperfections are relieved to certain level of perfections, living in the close contact of peer group pressure. Though it looks awkward but is absolutely true. This is the only peer group pressure that results in the perfect personality building. We learn it from the petty naughtiness, competitiveness, fight and fondles. That instills capacity to facing the odds and obscurities of the world and life ahead. Whatever an individual learns from the peer group pressure, there can be no other substitute of that. Though parents and relatives do much in the process of making a child to man but the place and power of peer group is absolutely unique in itself.

In the pursuit of above statement, we can firmly say that a man is influenced by the happening in the surrounding- either the human deeds or the natural causes. The influences that the companionship forms on the individual are always beneficial. This is one of the absolute facts that development is possible only when different hands unite together and formulate the greater and better outcomes. Another notable point is that being of the same age group and rank or status builds the bond of human relationship towards infinite development more strongly than other age group and status. Moreover it makes the healthy relationships reliable, stable and lasting. The reason behind it is the same psychological level and similar desires.

Among the peers, the healthy competitive tendency develops and that helps in the achievement of the goals in life through cooperation and coordination. The astonishing fact that everyone is aware with, is that the boys entering into the age of teen makes different world of friend circle other than parents. The peers can provide what parents and relatives can’t. The parents don’t have much more time to spend with the children. In this situation the children search the possibility of life and learning. Next to parents these children become used to of neighbors and afterward they make the peer groups where they are resorted of all sorts of emotional, social and ethical growths.

The parents merely help in bringing up with all materialistic resources but to become a successful citizen of the world, these peer groups do a lot. The other benefit that I want to highlight is that the work capacity and harmonious efforts of the persons of the same age group or rank reflect better solutions.

There are strong possibilities and manifold natural capacities hidden in the very root of individual that turns into a huge and enormous shape latter on. It is better to quote William Wordsworth here, ‘Child is the father of man’.  Our local, national and international academic institutions and organizations like CBSE, NCERT are now laying much more emphasis on the issue to create congenial and loving atmosphere all around the immature and developing minds. The parents and teachers are counseled to be friendlier to them.

The most important thing in this regard is that the peer pressure is natural. It is because we are integral part of the society. Peer pressure is equal to trimming and not trimming of a tree. The pressure around us works as trimming factor which turns an individual into a beautiful personality like a beautiful tree in proper shape and direction. Otherwise it moves into undesirable direction, awkward movement and ugly form. This is why the saying seems true that ‘spare the rod spoil the child’.

So I am of the strong opinion that peer pressure is genuinely beneficial in making a child into a responsible and successful man.

The factors which play crucial role in the life a child is the age growth. During teen age and adolescent stage, there are certain specific traits like stormy, gusty, heroic, rebellion, risk taker, immense energy, imaginative, sentimental start reflecting in their behaviors and attitudes. More about their gradual age growth can also be attributed as to be sensitive, revolutionary and radicals. In such an equivocal and aggressive age they also tempt to brave acts, out of odds and adversaries. The social and psychological changes also prompt towards perfection as a man into magnitude magnanimity. They tend to be the hero of real world around them.

Their personality stealthily gets molded into an individual or group personality which is perfected by peers or group living and this can be said to be another great benefits of group living.  Their social, economical, psychological upliftment in local, regional, national or international reference is possible only through healthy cooperation and competition resulting in quality. The undeniable fact that the man is a social animal and outside of the society either he is God or demon.  Any being away from peer pressure is equal to untrimmed ugly and unruly tree branches whereas under peer pressure is well trimmed bewitching and beautiful tree.

The children are checked against evils and are bewared of devils which prompt for wrong doing. The critical and cynic surrounding of peers beautify their personality as detergent soaps which cleanse away the dirty deeds, converting into sublime glitter of golden human being.

    The ragging is much condemned but it has goodness too. It improves group performance of the children and assists in all competitiveness in future life and career. The peers are like the paramount and peerless friendship of Sudama and Krishna and their friendship is still a great source of inspiration and ideal for the generations.

There is the coin’s other side which cannot be overlooked. The undue and over peer pressure has some repercussions too. It’s no wrong to say that “the peer pressure is worst and best both’.  If it has thousands healthier aspects, it has millions unhealthier aspects too. The word ‘Pressure’ is itself highly negative and non conformist. To think of pressure itself, is horrifying, dampening and benumbing.  According to the worldwide surveys and researches in psychology and the latest development in the knowledge of human mind and learning, the pressure of any type or in any form is resistible in the development of healthy mind. And everyone knows well that healthy mind dwells in healthy body. Until a man is both physically and mentally sound, any sort of progress in his life can never be imagined. Consequently if a man does not develop, a nation does not develop. Pressure rather forms catastrophic ground to annihilate the very root of humanity.

Imagine the pressure to the undeveloped or developing minds of the teen agers. The mental growth gets stunted and crippled. That leads towards suicidal tendencies and nihilism. The pressure is on teenagers and adolescents in multiple hues like ragging, cut throat competition, lavish of performance etc. and this pressure culminates into huge depression, inferiority complex and abnormality in their nature and finally they all lead to suicidal tendencies ending into nothing. With the fellow, the family, the society, the nation and above all whole humanity gets severely affected. Nothing is more degrading and shameful when someone assumes that he has the worthless existence in the world.

We all are bundle of differences. And these differences come out from our family backgrounds, the neighborhood and the community we live in. When all these differences clash together in teenagers they find it hard to adjust with others. Because of it, mental clashes of different type, starts. All the vices and bad habits the start assuming ground into them that mostly results in form of corruption, crimes, terrorism etc. that’s why all strongly oppose the view that peer pressure is always beneficial.

The psychologists also state one another vital remark that the pressure diminishes the working capacity either at home or in any other offices or institutions. The scolding of super bosses on the fellowmen never do well. Slowly and slowly the affected members lose interest in work, interest in people, interest in life or interest in anything that is really very horrible situation of one’s mind and life as well.

Other than this the discrimination of any type to an individual or any particular community or group too builds either negative ideologies or sometimes rebellious outburst against the person or the system. That too is one of the major factors to spread unrest and tumult in the society and in the nation. And it’s well known to all of us that “The development occurs in the lap of peace and prosperity not amid storm of revenge and retaliation”.

The world has realized and the history has witnessed that the high and super minds of the planets like Aristotle, Einstein, Edison, Arybhatt, Galileo, Gautama Buddha, Mahabir Swami and thousands other who paved the way to humanity and whose teachings are still the guiding lamps and will ever be until there is humanity, their divine and magnificent thoughts and theories were not because of any type pressure but because absolute freedom of mind and spirit. The very noticeable point over here that is necessary to say that these marvelous minds of the earth had glittered alone not because of and companionship or support of anybody so how can anybody think that peer pressure is always beneficial. It’s illogical and baseless.

If peer pressure is so beneficial, can anybody tell us why the internationally recognized and reputed educational body CBSE, all the time, are raising the slogans of removing all sorts or pressure in the classroom or in the school. The stress free, fear free and congenial atmosphere should be created to develop the immature minds of the young ones. And the Supreme Court and many judiciary bodies and NGOs are ever crying loud not to build pressure cooker situation in academic institutions or even at homes. The media highlights most often how the student went from depression to death only because the school teacher said him stupid.

As the sun does not require any body to shine and moon glorifies world alone in the clear and unspotted sky but when the same sky is shrouded by the stubborn clouds, the very glow of the these heavenly bodies which give eternal source of life to us, get adversely affected and so is the pressure all around among the fellow beings and co-habitants. We strongly favor that peer pressure can never be beneficial to anybody, anywhere or in any form.

The pressure of any kind is unjust and against the easy and natural growth of the child. None of the ground can justify it anyway. If the term pressure is negative in itself then effect will surely be the same. The peer pressure during teen age is catastrophic and it leads to nothing, rather spoils the precious life of the child. The ragging, cut throat rivalry and competition leads to suicidal tendencies. This is why the suicide cases even of the brilliant children in prestigious institutions top in the newspapers and media channels. It’s a general conception that the negativity attracts more than positivity and all bad habits like addiction, drink, smoke etc. ultimately lead towards corruption, crimes and terrorism.  Another havoc and catastrophe is discrimination based on trivial things like color, rich and poor, nature differences and they also lead towards destructive inferiority complex in them. The numerous psychologists, their surveys and researches have stated against any pressure on human mind. They have emphatically warned that it erodes the inherent innate power in all. As if any powerful lion pitiably caged in bars and gradually become mentally and physically weak.

     Under pressure, the developing tendency weakens because progress occurs in total stress free and fearless atmosphere. During school time, in teen age, the pressure of fellow students, compel to involve in wrong deeds and bad habits latter it becomes the part and parcel of their life.

It’s moral obligation to all parents, teachers, administrators and all elderly citizens, to minimize such freakish pressures on young and sweet children. Let the future of the nation open their cozy feathers, flip and flutter, to fly in the free and open sky.

They must be encouraged to grow of their own accord and capacity. Let them make a world full of freedom and joyfulness subduing all sorts of frivolous pressures and bounds.