In many cases, people feel that they have a unique identity, but that they can’t express that identity, due to various pressures. There are many obstacles that could possibly prevent people from expressing their true selves. In modern society, conforming to the “norm” is a huge aspect of this and often causes problems. People are heavily influenced by external forces: their peers and family. These external aspects of peoples’ daily lives often become obstacles, preventing people from being their unique selves. People fear of being viewed poorly which causes conformity.
The most common obstacle people face is their peers. Evidence of this can be found in Bernard Cooper’s “A Clack of Tiny Sparks: Remembrance of a Gay Boyhood.” In it, Cooper recalls being gay at the young age of fourteen, and how he attempted to change himself to be heterosexual, what was normal. Cooper describes a make-out party that he attended, where boys and girls exchanged turns kissing each other (142-143). This is a classic example of peer pressure. Cooper is being pressured into kissing many other girls in front of audience, even though he is not interested due to the fact that he is gay. The possibility of other kids finding out about his secret and picking on him drives him to not only attend the party, but ultimately to attempt to change himself. Another peer that puts pressure onto Cooper is by his classmate, Theresa Sanchez. Cooper recalls a conversation with her in the hall in which she asks him, “Are you a fag?” “ ‘No,’ I said. Blurted really, with too much defensiveness, too much transparent fear in my response” (139). Again, the possibility of someone finding out about his secret and picking on him frightens him. Both of these examples act in a simi...
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...d express herself and her opinions. Anzaldúa’s mother pressures Anzaldúa to conform and limits because of her fear. Cooper’s and Anzaldúa’s family influence them in different ways, but ultimately both harm their ability to express themselves and develop unique identities.
Fear can cause people to do many things. It enables peers and family to pressure people to conform and not express their true selves. People will go to great lengths to make sure they are not viewed poorly, even if it hinders themselves in their journey to develop a unique identity and be happy.
Works Cited
Anzaldúa, Gloria. “How to Tame a Wild Tongue.” EWRT1A Reader. Ed. Nick Mullins. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 108-118. Print.
Cooper, Bernard. “A Clack of Tiny Sparks: Remembrance of a Gay Boyhood.” EWRT1A Reader. Ed. Nick Mullins. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. 138-146. Print.
Individualism and conformity--two very commonly used terms to describe anyone in today’s time. In comparison to the article “The Sociology of Leopard Man,” written by Logan Feys, one of the most notable quotes that relates to individualism and conformity is “to be a human is to be an individual human, with individual tastes [...][and]talents [...] that are distinct from those of others. Living in society, we are under constant pressure to surrender our individuality to the will of the majority, the school, the workplace, the family, …” (Feys Par. 6). To be truthful, conformity and nonconformity are used to determine a person’s inner-being, but every person is different, and in this case people will not always agree with each other on how they should live.
Fear has controlled the world and shaped humans into what they are now. New technologies have been created, because of the fear humans have. Over time new fears have evolved, and illnesses occurred due to anxiety and depression from these fears. The terror that runs through each individual is different. Without fear there would be no evolution or protection.
...er a choice their brain makes for them. As Berns states: “ In many people, the brain would rather avoid activating the fear system and just change perception to conform with the social norm” (Robbins 152).
If Only related to Identity, Conformity, and Society by showing the way things are by perspective on individuals in a society. The book starts off with Eric, a fourteen year old boy, who has recently made a big move from California to Utah with his parents and younger brother Joel, who is ten. The book starts in October of 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Eric struggles trying to figure out who he is but also has to figure out what is the right thing to do when it comes to protecting someone he loves. Eric still being fairly young has been forced to find himself while hiding Grace, a runaway girl who he just happened to find one night, while at work.
Fear influences people to make irrational decisions and take extreme measures. Often times, these actions are done to protect one’s reputation. Fear causes people to lie and manipulate to those they care about in order to escape what they are scared of most. Fear of failure has caused higher levels of anxiety, and has made society put blame on each other, rather than owning up to their mistakes. Fear can also cause one to forget one’s true identity and lose one’s values. There are two options that one can take when being faced with a fear: run away from the fear, or go through it and learn a valuable lesson in the end that will make you a stronger person. Fear is a harmful emotion that everyone has to go through in order to succeed.
Fear is defined as an unpleasant emotion that is caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous. The boys in Lord of the Flies, are thrown on an island with nothing to help them survive. These children run to fear, rather than their peers, to help support each other when dangerous situations arise. Fear is an emotion that humans experience on a daily basis, and it is vital for our survival. It protects people from the danger that confines them, which then leads to how they act or behave in certain situations. Decision making, perception, and the way people are viewed, are all major factors that are heavily dependent on the amount of fear being influenced.
Fear can be caused by many different things and can be a result of different situations. “Fear is a primary emotion. It is an evolved and adaptive physiological response that occurs automatically in response to particular
In the words of Bertrand Russell, “Fear is the main source of superstition, and one of the main sources of cruelty. To conquer fear is the beginning of wisdom” (Russell). Fear causes many problems in our lives. Fear influences many of a person’s actions and decisions. However, people usually regret the decisions or actions they made out of fear. Also, these actions and decisions can cause problems for those people in their future. Fear is a harmful emotion, for it clouds people’s judgement, disables them from taking action, and causes them to make decisions that they will regret later.
Fear is an everyday emotion that the human race must face, and it can bring out the best and worst of us, but its how we choose to deal with it that truly defines us.
For example, if you were afraid of someone you would be scared to go up to them and try and confront them. Since people fear you, you are safer. It is also safer to be feared because you are less likely to be used. You are feared and no one is going to be your friend because they get something in return. No one will walk over you and you will not get bullied. Think of a school child who is being bullied. If people were afraid of them instead of the child being the weakling, they would not be bullied. “Little Amma runs that school. Be a fool that got caught on her bad side” (124). Amma is feared by her peers at her school that when people try and stand up to her they are bullied and in return ending up on Amma’s bad side. If you are feared instead of loved, you are less likely to be hurt physically and
Fear controls us, it makes us lose opportunities with things, but also shapes us to how we are today. People should feel that it's a great thing to have fear and they can overcome it. Just because it's scary doesn't mean that we can't use it as a tool to help us morally. Fear guides us in life and
On the other hand, some people like to create or break social norms because they want to be a unique character or improve their social life; for instance, transgender. Transgender which means one’s do not accept his/her gender role, they feel that is not their bodies look like and not match. Although many male transgender that their biological is male, they feel that they are look like women. The same case with female. Due to a long time by heterosexual life, transgender people lead to psychological personality change to fix their gender role, such as surgery to change
Fear is a human emotion everyone dislikes. Fear is in every person with no exception. It can be difficult problem to solve. We can overcome our fears by challenging ourselves by analyzing fear and developing a growth mindset.
They change their behavior to be accepted by the majority in the group. They want to be seen as ordinary and do away with any unique characteristics in them. They want to remain as plain as possible so as not to offend or be mocked by their associates in the group. What they forget is that, they destroy their gifts and talents when they conform; they are fall into the trap of social conformity and set themselves up to be controlled. Then they end up minimum actualizing their maximum potential. One should understand that the central role of social conformity is to control individuals, but through boldness and self-creating, one can resist
Like the definition of fear, it makes us uncomfortable, it makes us worry about the future punishments that will come; the reason why we see fear as bad thing. It was back to school night in my high school, my parents were coming after an exhausting day at work. It was also the night when my parents were coming to school to pick up our grades and have a chance to talk with our teachers and advisors. I had this feeling before, and it was coming back again, fear. I ran to the main office and signed in, good thing the lady gave me my report card instead of giving it to my parents, and it was my only chance of hiding it, and I ...