Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Peer Pressure and Misery





The pressure is on us as Christians to give in to support evil or close our eyes to it. How can we stand with love and truth when the pressures of the world get to us? 

A psychological experiment was done to find out if it helps to have support when we make a difficult decision. Twenty college students sat in front of a screen on which two lines of different lengths were shown. The first 19 were lab assistants paid to say the short one was longer.  They all agreed to lie in order to see how the naive student in each group would respond.

Imagine what you would do it you saw two lines and instantly knew which is longer. You are confident. However, after each of the others picks the short one, you are not so sure. What would you do? Agree with the crowd or take a stand and speak the truth? Either is very difficult.

1. Some students agreed with the majority against their own judgment. They knew it was wrong but they conformed to peer pressure.

2. Others spoke honestly but did so with lowered heads and ashen faces. They felt shame and pain but stayed true to themselves.

How did the students react emotionally? 

Neither was happy. I can imagine how guilty and ashamed the students were who gave in to peer pressure. I can also imagine how the strong students felt when they had to take a stand against peer presure. Peer pressure to do something wrong leaves everyone feeling badly.

It is obvious why so many news outlets print articles that support one side or one person and try to get readers on their side against others. Peer pressure works! Media know it and politicians know it. Mobs know it and people that lie with statistics know it. 

So, how can we stand on truth and principle? See the next Post on ways we can protect our integrity.



1 comment:

Gary Sweeten said...

Our nation is moving quickly from a system of right or wrong to a system of Political Correctness. It is a huge move from seeing behavior as correct if based on a standard or behavior that conforms to the rigid rules of a group. This is the basis of every fascist, communist, or dictator group I know. If I belong to the right sub group I am all right. If I am considered to have the right identity based on race, language, skin color, heritage, gender, birth, I am accepted and affirmed. But if I am not the correct language, race, religion, gender, color, etc I will be shamed, ridiculed, rejected, fired, etc.

The USA was founded on equality of the Law and justice. Law breakers have true moral guilt. Political Correctness is based on Shame.

Political Correctness is based on who is in power. So, Sanctuary Cities are based on identity not on law. It is a dictatorship. If you are not in league with the PC Dictators, you will be shamed and humiliated. All laws are based on preference not a legal standards.