by Thomas Hoyt
As a kid growing up you hear about peer pressure and how you shouldn’t allow it to affect your decisions that would get you in trouble, doing something you ought not do. We have all heard this kind of statement before, “Well, if everyone else jumps off a bridge, that doesn’t mean you have to.” Now as an adult, I don’t think about peer pressure. I do what I do because that is my decision and not because everyone else is doing it. Now if you really stop and think about it, as adults we do indeed experience peer pressure.
The other day I went outside to mow the yard. I noticed my next-door neighbor had mowed his yard and that reminded me that I needed to mow my yard. So, as I was mowing, and I use the bag on the mower, I had to stop to empty the bag. My neighbor, Cody, saw me and said, “Is this adult peer pressure? You saw me mow my yard and figured you had to mow yours?” HA! I responded with, “No, my wife told me to get out here and mow the yard.” 😊 So, was it the peer pressure that influenced me to mow the yard, or just me obeying the wife’s commands? Hmmmm, I suppose we even have peer pressure within our own households. Peer pressure from our family, from neighbors, and yes even from friends. I suppose though as adults, the peer pressure we experience doesn’t necessarily get us to do something bad, but to get us to do something we ought to do (mow the yard, plant flowers, do the laundry or dishes, even buy your wife some flowers or a treat). Keep laughing folks! 😊
The Buchanan Chronicle 