Social Question

Yellowdog's avatar

How does a person, usually a teenager, really feel about someone when their peers pressure them to reject that person (socially or romantically)?

Asked by Yellowdog (12216points) June 28th, 2019

Please feel free to comment on any aspect of these types of situations. But lets keep it real, and somewhat on topic.

This is a sub-set of bullying and peer-pressure topics.

I guess it starts in early childhood and lasts through the mid- to late-teens, and to a limited extent, even happens among adults.

Someone is friends with someone, but their peers pressure them to reject the person. I remember these types of situations from since I was in kindergarten or early elementary school, where it may seem trivial now but was a real trauma socially for those who endure it.

Later in school, a crowd, sometimes a crowd of bullies, pressures someone to not be friends with someone else.

In late childhood to the mid-teens, a person’s crowd urges or coerces or bullies them into not associate with someone who isn’t cool enough, or whom they want to hurt.

It even happens with adults. But by then, most of us get used to it who have endured it.

WHAT I REALLY WANT TO KNOW, is what goes on in a person’s mind who rejects the person they may like, or have liked, are pressured to reject. Do they still like the person but pretend not to? Are they actually persuaded not to? Are they brainwashed and really don’t?

I was jilted a few times in my pre- and early teens by girls I liked, and started to like me, who were pressured by their friends. But come to think of it, I see it quite a bit among children, high-school students, even church groups (young people mostly) and other social settings.

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5 Answers

KNOWITALL's avatar

Sometimes your friends could see things you don’t. I know I liked a few women in my life but had been told some sketchy things, then finally I saw with my own eyes, it was true so everyone was right. I like to give people the benefit of the doubt but its not always the outcome I’d hoped for.

mazingerz88's avatar

Depends on what kind of people these friends are. Depends on why they want their friend to distance himself from someone he likes. These friends could easily be either “heroes” or “villains.”

This reminds me of the John Hughes films Pretty in Pink and Some Kind of Wonderful which I love.

Inspired_2write's avatar

I rejected that group. Even at an early age I always did the right thing.
I supported the underdog…within limits , meaning as long as they weren’t criminal or into drugs etc

JLeslie's avatar

I think it depends on the person. Some people might feel powerful having a group they belong to, and being able to feel superior to the friend they are now shunning.

Some people probably convince themselves the person now on the outside wasn’t as good somehow.

Some people probably feel badly, even miss the other person, but do it anyway feeling no way out, or wanting to belong.

I never had friends who made me give up other friends. There were cliques, but I kind of moved between all of them, although I didn’t quite really belong to all of them I guess.

I think parents and educators can teach kids not to do these mean things, and to not give into it when it is happening. Kindness and empathy can be taught. Some of the best way is modeling the behavior ourselves. Show kindness bd it will be paid forward.

Dutchess_lll's avatar

It depends on the personality of the teen.

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