Malcom Gladwell Revisionist History #3. Peer Pressure

           ‘Peer pressure’ is, the way people directly influence each other to follow other’s opinion by changing one’s beliefs, ideologies, or actions. (partially referenced) It somehow sounds similar to ‘socialization’, in a way that it ‘affects’ others in their behavior. However, while socialization is done unconsciously, peer pressure is done quite consciously and directly. Peer pressure, the action of enforcing unfavorable forms of behaviors to others, definitely kills the variety of ideas, and spread the idea of uniformity in a severely negative perspective. The podcast by Malcom Gladwell introduces the examples in America, mainly, however, I believe, truly Korea, is one of the countries where the peer pressure impacts significantly, due to the prevalent ‘noonchi’ culture.

           There are numerous examples: still lots of people go through the alteration of attitudes in themselves, affected by others. However, to introduce one recent example that I felt quite interesting, it would be the case of ‘bustier’. It was said in one article that I saw, Korea was almost the only one country where people didn’t wear ‘bustier’ a lot on daily life, not the particular cases of celebrities. Last year summer, ‘bustier’ has risen popularly among the western countries. People in Korea also wanted to wear ‘bustier’ because it was unique, ­­­comfortable, and stylish. However, as it is rooted from underwear, some of the citizens severely put backlash on those people, by framing the action of wearing ‘bustier’ as impolite, irregular, crazy actions. The conservative atmosphere still remaining Korea society resulted this, although it is just the actions of wearing proper clothes.

           Besides this example, particularly, Korean educational system is the epitome of negative impacts the peer pressure gives. Before giving the opportunities for the students to firstly think about an issue, teachers suggest particular idea, and give lecture based on this idea. Thus, students get into a fixed frame while considering that issue, which fixes that suggested idea is an ‘ideal’ thing. Students no longer widen and expand their perspective, and if others come up with new ideas, there ideas cannot be respected fully as it is.

           This issue is most problematic especially in literature class. There are still lots of controversies and diversity in opinions regarding literature. I still wonder whether the prevalent interpretation of literature coincide with the intention of author. It really doesn’t matter as the clarification of literature after the author publishes it solely is responsible to the readers, however as I’m totally interest in writing literature, I still focus on the similarities and differences between the idea of author and readers. Therefore, there might be various approach in understanding literature if with supported evidences, which must be respected. However, this peer pressure restricts the understanding of literature by determining the frame of ‘what is right’. This made me to think of literature by myself a lot, by trying to escape out of the frame.

           To sum up, peer pressure, sometimes confused with socialization, negatively affects others by restricting creativity, and enforcing uniformity. At this time, that we need creativity as a whole, maybe we can resolve this problem by diluting the atmosphere of social pressure.