Life is all about influence either positive or negative. Influence is like a stimulus, a push which results to an effect or action and this influence can be subtle or exertive. At one point or the other, every human needs influence or is influenced by someone or something which results to our approach to things and how we handle them.
Influence can come from one's origin, environment, family, friends, religion, education etc. One of the strongest influence in like which can either make or mar is that of one's peer e.g. of equal age, a colleague, a friend, an associate etc. It is mostly believed that "experience is the best teacher" and that in most cases, influences coming from the up/top (vertical) i.e. one's seniors, elders, parents, leaders, mentors etc are believed to be "safe and best" which is true though with exceptions aswell.
However, influences coming from one's peer which is horizontal must be careful evaluated before berm subjected to. Most times, negative influences like occultism, cultism, social vices, internet fraud, wrong exposures and all sorts are attached to peer pressure which in a sense is true through lige occurrences happening all over the world. For example, a child from a faulty home who isn't well brought up and has been exposed to all sorts can negatively impact this on his/hers friends.
In another view, it can be seen that peer pressure is of advantage too as there has been instances of growth, progress, successes achieved through positive peer influence. For example, i have many of my colleagues while in school who performed brilliantly in their studies not because they are brilliant themselves, but by the postive impact of those they are associated with as they read, study and do things together helping one another.
By my personal experience, i have positively been influenced by some of my friends who are brilliant even as at secondary school then and we represented the school in several competitions then. The same applied in the University during my undergraduate days when i met other students from different backgrounds but well trained and brilliant whom we are all in the same faculty and we rolled together, and succeeded together aswell. By my sense of reasoning and judgement, I'm influenced mostly by good things either from those who are above me or my peers.
There are corporations, businesses, investments established today based on postive influences by individuals on their friends, colleagues, associates, partners, peer etc. The foundational truth is that carefulness and watchfulness should be employed in selecting and relating to one's peer because frivolus choices can be dangerous. In addition, the impart of failed marriages, moral decadence, poor background/upbringing, wrong governmental policies and many other factors contributes to experiencing negative influences.
In all, whether positive or negative influence and nomatter the source, the choice to be influenced lies in the hands of an individual because life is all about choices. One can chose to either be positively or negatively influenced which both has consequences. In most times, it's easy to be influenced based on one's desires and the more reason for a good desire sanitised with good conscience. Thank you for reading and comments, contributions are welcomed.
This is my participation post in #Aprilinleo monthly prompt for day 11 by the #inleo. Check out this announcement post to get involved. 