What characters would be immune to peer pressure?
So I'm been thinking about peer pressure (as you do). The spouse had Monday off, but I had work to do. So I had a regular work at home day, but with him around. Without particularly trying to, I ended up having a very productive day, with none of my bad habits showing - no staying in my PJs until lunch, no taking an hour break at lunch to read or watch TV. It was like the Platonic ideal of an efficient, responsible work day. (Of course, Tuesday I was a little fried 'cause I'm not used to that shit anymore. *rolls eyes at self*)
Thus peer pressure, and how it can be a force for good just as easily as for evil. When I was in school, teachers and counselors used the words 'peer pressure' like they were a modern analog of 'the devil's clutches', something to be feared and avoided. This is the craziness of the American individualist myth: we will brainwash you into thinking you shouldn't care what other people think of you, but of course you do care, and you'll spend the rest of your life conflicted about this instead of actually doing stuff.
I was thinking about how I'd changed my behavior because someone else was around, and started wondering whether my favorite characters would too. I think Benton Fraser is the one that comes to mind who wouldn't - although the Fraser of the early, Ray V years might intentionally tone down his nuttiness in company, as opposed to showing off like most people would. A younger Dean Winchester would tell you to fuck off, although he'd certainly be playing to his audience. (These days I dunno, I can't get a handle on where the writers are taking his new maturity.) RoboSam, Castiel, sure - but using nonhumans is kinda cheating.
Maybe Duck from Wilby - he's certainly portrayed as someone whose actions came from a place of certitude and a sense of moving past valuing society's opinions unthinkingly.
This entry was originally posted at http://bonspiel.dreamwidth.org/23695.html.
Thus peer pressure, and how it can be a force for good just as easily as for evil. When I was in school, teachers and counselors used the words 'peer pressure' like they were a modern analog of 'the devil's clutches', something to be feared and avoided. This is the craziness of the American individualist myth: we will brainwash you into thinking you shouldn't care what other people think of you, but of course you do care, and you'll spend the rest of your life conflicted about this instead of actually doing stuff.
I was thinking about how I'd changed my behavior because someone else was around, and started wondering whether my favorite characters would too. I think Benton Fraser is the one that comes to mind who wouldn't - although the Fraser of the early, Ray V years might intentionally tone down his nuttiness in company, as opposed to showing off like most people would. A younger Dean Winchester would tell you to fuck off, although he'd certainly be playing to his audience. (These days I dunno, I can't get a handle on where the writers are taking his new maturity.) RoboSam, Castiel, sure - but using nonhumans is kinda cheating.
Maybe Duck from Wilby - he's certainly portrayed as someone whose actions came from a place of certitude and a sense of moving past valuing society's opinions unthinkingly.
This entry was originally posted at http://bonspiel.dreamwidth.org/23695.html.