Hazing: Powerful Parental Influence

One of the most common social interactions that powerfully affects a person’s behavior is peer pressure. CNN reported in an article that a drum major was beaten to death in a hazing gauntlet. Reporters show that Robert Champion, the victim of this cruel hazing, did not want to go along with the hazing but he did anyways. He believed that in order to gain respect from his peers, he had to go through the barbaric initiation. Champion’s roommate, Keon Hollis, told the police, “If you want to be somebody you have to do it” (Mallory Simon).

Peers caused Champion to believe that in order to be accepted by society and to no longer be a nobody, he would have to go through with the hazing. Even the band members fell into peer pressure, being forced to hurt Champion. Text two says, “Some people tried to help push [Champion] through, while at least one girl tried to hold him back, the way a linebacker would, to make the gauntlet more difficult” (Mallory Simon).

Yes, people could say that this girl did not fall into peer pressure because she tried to hold him back. However, if she didn’t succumb to peer pressure, she should’ve tried to get help to try and stop the beating. She fell into the trap because she didn’t want to get shut out from society, and therefore decided to join in on Champion’s initiation.

Parental influences also greatly affect a person’s behavior.

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Many parents pass down their religious beliefs, political views, and so many other things to their children. One girl named Irena Sendler took her parents teachings to heart. Text 3 states, “ “Though she lost her father at the age of seven, Chana Kroll writes in her article, ‘His dedication to others – reinforced by her mother’s example and words – made a deep impression on her.’” Irena absorbed the lessons she was taught by her parents and put them to use. During World War II, Irena helped to save over 3,000 Jewish families and a multitude of Jewish children. The combination of different influences from Irena’s parents, as well as her peers who helped her save the Jewish family caused her behavior and actions to differ from other people during this time. Some people may conclude that because Irena stuck with her beliefs, she was influenced by her personal morality even when most of society believed otherwise. However, this is incorrect because society and people she grew up like her parents and her peers, all had similar beliefs that were passed on to Irena. The way she acted was because it is all she knew, it isn’t by choice. The personal morality she adopted was from how her parents and peers acted. She was always taught by everyone around her to help others in need whenever she could. Her father was very dedicated to others, so Irena was as well.

However, parental influence is not always good for children. In 2014, two twelve year old girls, attempted to murder one of their friends as a sacrifice to Slenderman. Shortly after this attempted murder occurred, much focus turned to the parents and what influences they might’ve had on their children. Soon after, Morgan Geyser’s parents instagram was found with graves and skulls. Jane Mendle, a clinical psychologist specialist said, “It’s easy to say, ‘These are bad parents’” (Abigail Jones). The dark atmosphere of death growing up greatly impacted Morgan’s life. This disturbing influence on Morgan caused her to do such an gruesome crime. Parental influences have a big impact on children, which nobody can deny.

It is extremely clear that social dynamics have a large impact on a person’s behavior and actions. Parents may not realize it, but they can push their beliefs onto their children. Which could cause them to act in a different manner because their personal morality is shaped by what they are taught while growing up. Peer pressure also causes people to have different behaviors because people desperately want acceptance from others even if they subconsciously know what they are doing is wrong. People should be more aware of their actions and how they can affect others around them because social dynamics powerfully influence others.