This is a continuing anthropological study of teenagers and more specificly the high school scene, and what makes people act and feel the way they do
( Read more... )
Identity and Integritysirk_nalnickNovember 13 2007, 19:54:28 UTC
Interesting observations.
Social interaction among humans is quite complex and usually defies attempts to explain things in a simple formula. You correctly noticed how all people will find a way to fill that need we all have to feel like we matter in some way. Our culture emphasizes the talented and the beautiful. And you are right, many will strive to associate with these types of people in order to feel good about themselves or gain the benefits of being "on top". As you are noticing this takes many forms due to the complexity of the human experience.
I wouldn't say that the "high-school experience" is stupid, but that it is "stupid" to want so badly to fit in with a certain crowd that you betray friends and change behaviors in certain contexts. The truth is, all of us change behaviors in different contexts to some degree, but I won't go into that.
The thing that you might need to consider is that when you are going through the high school years, young people are still trying to figure out, "who they are". Many truly do not know. All they have is the surrounding culture to help them define what that means. So in a way, it's understandable that many will allow themselves to be manipulated by their surroundings in order to settle into a peer-group where they can find acceptance.
The other thing I'd like you to consider is the spiritual side of this matter. (not that you haven't, you just haven't mentioned anything yet.) We are talking about identity here, You mentioned several times about "being yourself". This is the subject of how we act based on our beliefs and values in a given context. You are observing some people in your circle of friends and peers, relax their values to be accepted by people who seem to hold to different values than you thought they held. What I would say, is that what you are seeing is their TRUE values come into the light. Either that, or they are falling into temptation.
As Christian believers, we are to derive our identity from Jesus Christ and the principles found in scripture and not allow ourselves to be conformed to the world, or really even care about conforming to the world. Needless to say, this is difficult and few truly are able to resist the strong lure to fit in.
Much can still be observed and I look forward to reading your future posts on this. Just try to resist the urge to over simplify and categorize people in such a way that we can more easily "write them off" as lost causes, or even worse - enemies. We all have our faults and are tempted to fit in with the world. As Christians, we need to join hands in the common cause of telling a lost and dying world about the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are "about that", then these other matters lose importance and we gain more compassion for people whether they are totally lost or marginal Christians. I'm done for now.
Social interaction among humans is quite complex and usually defies attempts to explain things in a simple formula. You correctly noticed how all people will find a way to fill that need we all have to feel like we matter in some way. Our culture emphasizes the talented and the beautiful. And you are right, many will strive to associate with these types of people in order to feel good about themselves or gain the benefits of being "on top". As you are noticing this takes many forms due to the complexity of the human experience.
I wouldn't say that the "high-school experience" is stupid, but that it is "stupid" to want so badly to fit in with a certain crowd that you betray friends and change behaviors in certain contexts. The truth is, all of us change behaviors in different contexts to some degree, but I won't go into that.
The thing that you might need to consider is that when you are going through the high school years, young people are still trying to figure out, "who they are". Many truly do not know. All they have is the surrounding culture to help them define what that means. So in a way, it's understandable that many will allow themselves to be manipulated by their surroundings in order to settle into a peer-group where they can find acceptance.
The other thing I'd like you to consider is the spiritual side of this matter. (not that you haven't, you just haven't mentioned anything yet.) We are talking about identity here, You mentioned several times about "being yourself". This is the subject of how we act based on our beliefs and values in a given context. You are observing some people in your circle of friends and peers, relax their values to be accepted by people who seem to hold to different values than you thought they held. What I would say, is that what you are seeing is their TRUE values come into the light. Either that, or they are falling into temptation.
As Christian believers, we are to derive our identity from Jesus Christ and the principles found in scripture and not allow ourselves to be conformed to the world, or really even care about conforming to the world. Needless to say, this is difficult and few truly are able to resist the strong lure to fit in.
Much can still be observed and I look forward to reading your future posts on this. Just try to resist the urge to over simplify and categorize people in such a way that we can more easily "write them off" as lost causes, or even worse - enemies. We all have our faults and are tempted to fit in with the world. As Christians, we need to join hands in the common cause of telling a lost and dying world about the gospel of Jesus Christ. If we are "about that", then these other matters lose importance and we gain more compassion for people whether they are totally lost or marginal Christians. I'm done for now.
Reply
Leave a comment