The Pressure To Conform In Nothing To Envy By Barbara Demick

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The pressure to conform mirrors traits likened to that of a manipulator, capable of manipulating those within its effects in the pursuit of fitting into the standards of others. In Barbara Demick’s novel Nothing To Envy, the pressure to conform to the government's will, especially with how the government weaves the standards of the citizens and the society of the nation, is a dilemma that characters such as Jun-sang and Chang-bo struggle with. Likewise, I have fallen victim to the pressure of conformity to satisfy the standards of others, whether it is to please my friends, or to appease the societal standards I am exposed to. With my experiences intertwined with these pressures, one fact is unequivocal. The pressure to conform is formidable, …show more content…

Obviously this was a given when aging, however, there was one activity which affected me the most. One day we got ourselves into gambling with each other, specifically using the game of poker. We would refrain from using large amounts of money whenever we played, but a once in a while game became an essential activity we did every time we came together. At first I was against playing poker with my friends. Although I acknowledged that the amount of money was quite negligible by the average person, the idea of arbitrarily putting my money in the hands of luck did not resonate with me. At first I did not see the harm in indulging myself in the games, but once I realized that it was becoming a staple game within my friend group I tried to back out. However, they would convince me that “What are you going to do if you do not play? Just sit there?” or that, “Everyone else is playing, just play.” I felt that since I would be the only one wanting to refrain from participating, it made me seem somewhat of an outcast. The pressure I felt to please my friends in indulging in this game seeped into my mind, poisoning my train of thought, and convincing myself that I could just play this game once

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