Blog #4

Research round 2: Why are we pressured to fit into these standards? I believe this questions is essential since I wonder why we want to fit in a certain standard and where this desire comes from. I will find multiple research done to find a general idea and answer to my question.

1. Fear of not fitting in
   Nowadays the standards set by society are so high for young people. They are pressured to be perfect and different from everyone around them. Our environment is now beginning to discriminate against those who dare to not follow the standards set by our society. If you are not the same as everyone else, you are set aside, castaways, or bullied. This is because people find it hard to be different and now follow the crowd. They want to fit in with society’s criteria of being considered normal. Some people can drive themselves insane just to fit into society. (1)
2. Influence
   Teenagers are constantly forced to act and feel a certain way. Society enjoys dictating how our youth should behave. The pressures placed on teens to meet a certain standard often lead to harmful outcomes. Although some pressures are only experienced by one gender and not the other, some are endured by both and it is only fair to say that both boys and girls feel the pressure of fitting into society’s norms. For decades women have been put under the pressure of looking a certain way. This pressure usually begins in the adolescent years of a girl’s life. Teenage girls are expected to have perfect bodies. But where do these unreachable standards come from? Middle school is a rough time, bodies are changing, hormones, and the desire to fit in to have more friends are more prominent. For example, when a young girl hears that the photoshopped model on the cover of Vogue is being called flawless, it is easy for her to aspire to be a real-life replica of the photoshop. Our society spits our magazine covers plastered with photoshopped teenage idols daily. Middle school may also be the time when girls are forced into the expanding world of makeup. When young girls start to experiment with makeup, it is exciting. However, soon this excitement fades away and the application becomes a forced chore. Forced to cover up their real skin every day. The makeup industry has developed a way of manipulating young girls into thinking they need makeup to look pretty. (2)
3. Social pressure 
   Our choices as humans are usually impacted by society, culture, family, and friends. This is called social pressure. We force ourselves to have in a certain way or to make specific decisions. In the process of growing up, children learn a great deal of cultural and social information, this usually includes learning to follow the norms of their society. We learn to manage our attitudes and behaviours to stay connected to the community. We are taught to blend with the crowd as it would help us achieve adulthood successfully and provide benefits in friendships, have potential mates, and get the sources that we need to live. Humans also tend to look at the groups we are in for guidance about what to do and how to behave. Like popularity, we think it is an activity or item that is good because a lot of people do the activity or like the item. (3)
4. Peer pressure (mostly in school)
   In school, there are certain pressures to behave a certain way. Peer pressure usually happens amongst your friends. When children go to school, there is always a popular group of kids. That popular group may start wearing makeup, and this pressures the rest to do the same. Most things children start to try are usually because they are influenced by someone they know or at school. As well as different standards to fit into when you spend time with family. For example, you may feel comfortable and cool to swear at each other when being with friends. However, it may be the opposite expectation at home. In many ways, peer pressure can be negative. An example could be that many people become alcoholics, many cases of alcohol addicts start when they were peer pressured by a friend. (4)

To summarize, my research shows that we are pressured to fit into society’s set standards due to our surroundings. We are easily influenced and pressured without even realizing it. When researching, I realized that I am influenced just as easily as anyone else. For example, I learnt my swear words in middle school since I heard my peers swear. I was also influenced on wearing makeup from TikTok influencers. Although I do not think wanting to blend in with the crowd is necessarily a bad thing, some standards are just unrealistic and changes should be made for one’s good and desire, not for someone else.

Sources:

1. https://aandm.org.uk/2018/11/19/societys-pressure-to-be-perfect/
2. https://www.teenink.com/hot_topics/what_matters/article/690519/Societys-
3. https://www.betterhelp.com/advice/general/how-does-social-pressure-impact-our-choices/
4. https://betterhumans.pub/why-you-should-be-more-resistant-to-social-pressure-3806db87d9e3

Thank you for reading.