Peer Pressure and Politics
Peer pressure has no power if you have no peers.
The Influence of Parents and Peers
Parents have a lot of influence over their kids—until they become teenagers. As kids grow older, parental influence decreases, while peer pressure, the influence from friends, increases. During adolescence, peer pressure often becomes stronger than parental guidance, which can be frustrating for parents.
Jumping Off Bridges
“If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you jump too?”
“Mom, don’t be ridiculous. Of course not.”
But the truth is, many teenagers would jump. The adolescent brain isn’t fully developed until around age twenty-one, which affects mature judgment.
A Real-Life Example
I saw this firsthand at Brushy Creek Bridge. Teenagers were daring each other to jump from one end of the bridge to the other, over a creek and rocks below. It was dangerous, but they still did it. Luckily, no one got hurt.
My Experience with Peer Pressure
If I were a teenager, I wouldn’t have jumped. When I was a teenager, I had no peers. I didn’t have a group of friends to hang out with, so I wasn’t influenced by peer pressure. I had one good friend, but no group to warp my mind.
Moving to the South
When I was ten, my parents moved from Massachusetts to South Carolina in 1962. At school, they called me a Yankee. I was small, wore glasses, and was too smart for my own good. Being from the North, I was seen as a liberal trying to integrate schools and undermine white supremacy. Things got worse when they found out I was Jewish.
College and Peer Pressure
In college, I thought I was an independent thinker, immune to peer pressure. But my peers were hippies who flaunted the status quo. They wore long hair and freaky clothes, and soon, so did I. They smoked cigarettes, marijuana, and even dropped acid. Eventually, I did too. So much for being immune to peer pressure.
Peer Pressure in Adulthood
As adults, we are often unaware of peer pressure, just like a fish is unaware of water. We are so immersed in our cultural norms that we can’t see how much they dictate our thinking and behavior. We know other cultures think and do things differently, but we believe our way is right and theirs is wrong.
A Visit to Georgia
Last Friday, I drove from Greenville, South Carolina to a small town in southern Georgia to visit my daughter and grandchildren. I could have left on Thursday, but I was glued to watching the Democratic Convention and didn’t want to miss Kamala Harris’s acceptance speech.
High School Football Game
That Friday, my grandson wanted to attend a high school football game with his father. I asked to join them, and my granddaughter wanted to come too. I like watching NFL football on TV, but I have little interest in high school football. But I wanted to be with my family—or so I thought.
Sitting Alone Among Republicans
At the crowded stadium, my grandson disappeared to be with his friends. My son-in-law found perfect seats, but soon my granddaughter left to be with her friend, and my son-in-law went to say hello to his cousins. I found myself sitting alone in a sea of friendly, all-American, Trump-supporting Republicans.
Cheering for the Home Team
When our side made a first down or touchdown, I cheered with everyone else. Football is more fun when you want one side to win. But I was bemused whenever the referees made a call against the home team. Fans were told not to scream obscenities or threaten the referee, but when a critical call went against the home team, there was a loud outcry of disbelief.
Political Silence
The weirdest thing was that no one mentioned politics. It was like the presidential election was three years away. Everyone already agreed with each other politically, so there was no need to discuss issues or candidates. Everyone was rooting for the Republican home team.
The Political Football Mentality
This mentality is common in the rural South. There’s no need to worry about which candidate to vote for. Since everyone else is voting for Trump, you don’t have to think about whether he is competent or corrupt. All your peers are voting for Trump, so just support the home team.
Voter Suppression and Intimidation
Trump and his Republican allies major in voter suppression and intimidation. They threaten to purge political enemies and declare they belong in prison, making people too scared to speak out. They won’t even put a yard sign in their yard for fear of abuse.
Encouraging Democrats to Vote
How can Democrats be encouraged to vote when it seems like they live in a sea of Trump signs? Why vote if it looks like the other side will win by a landslide? In today’s political climate, peer pressure prevails over common sense and decency. It’s a sign of the times.
