Daniela Marcel Week 10: The Power That Friends Hold

    
    Recently I have noticed the amount of power my best friend holds. One day while my best friend and I were walking home, she was telling me about this one person. She told me her thoughts and opinions on that friend and I didn't think much of it when I got home. The next day I subconsciously started to distance myself from that certain friend. Whenever that friend started to become close with my best friend, I got in the way or I just didn't like the fact they were close (physically). When I realized this, I became curious about why I was starting to avoid the person. I was pretty close with the person, but I have only known them starting this year, while I have known my best friend for more than 3 years. Why was I acting like this? Was it the unwavering trust I placed in my best friend's judgment? Was it because, since I have known her for so long I unconsciously follow her? Does her influence have that much power over me to change my opinion and thoughts? 
    Another instance that caught my attention was how my friend loves to drink Monster. Growing up I have never had it, and I have always avoided it. I have never liked soday drinks, especially energy drinks. However, after becoming friends with this person, I have been subconsciously buying monsters and I even developed a favorite flavor. Since they had such a big impact on my life, I have made subtle changes in my life so I could match with them.
      The more I looked into this, the more I became aware of how much power friends have on each other. Just by saying one small thing it can affect your friend's life. I think this is why people say to be careful with your words, watch what you say or how words can hurt. It's a reminder to be mindful of our words, as they possess the potential to reshape our friends' perceptions and behaviors. If you say the slightest comment to a friend who trusts you, they can change the way they act. If you say that the shirt they are wearing looks bad they might never wear that shirt again.
     I think this power can be used in an incredible and harmful way. If your friend has bad intentions and realizes they have this power, they can make you do the unthinkable. They can peer pressure you into doing illegal actions, they can get you into dangerous situations, and force you to do stuff you could have never imagined yourself doing. There is a saying that you need to pick your friends wisely. I agree with this statement since friends can change your lifestyle. Your friends create the environment you live in, and your friends have the power to change your life


https://www.cbr.com/hunter-x-hunter-gon-killua-not-rivals-better-for-it/

Comments

  1. Mahesh KarthikeyanFebruary 7, 2024 at 5:35 PM

    Hi Daniela! The point you mention about change that occurs in individuals is profound; and the implications of the actions that friends can make other friends do is eerie. If you trust the people you value the most in your life, they will not be inclined to lead you astray. The clarity you develop in the blog demonstrates the rhetorical questions you ask yourself about how an external source influenced you to such an extent. Your process analysis of the relationship dynamic between your best friend and yourself is thoughtful and significant in assessing the degree to which the relationship has changed.

    It is especially intriguing how you thought about this aspect of your friendship as a microcosm of time with your best friend. I agree that as you continue analyzing your relationships, you may realize the changes you have undergone because of your influences. During high school, friendships can dictate the childhood experiences that many undergo. Your mention of a powerful warning of how some friends may peer pressure others into committing illegal actions that they will regret later reminds many to avoid these paths. It is instrumental to develop a virtuous and healthy lifestyle after high school. Your instantaneous shift into discussing the collective impact of friendship and its effects on the future. The blog is a reminder to reflect on the types of peer pressure that we receive and minimize the effects of such pressures.

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  2. anishka jannuFebruary 7, 2024 at 5:42 PM

    Hi Daniela, I found your ideas on the power of friends to be very interesting. Although we try to have control over our influences and circles, it is often impossible to stop our friends’ lifestyles from merging with ours. For example, when our friends overuse a certain word, we tend to adopt the word and also use it. In addition, it is very easy to pick up on someone’s habits if you spend a lot of time with them. Sometimes, we might not want to be influenced by our friends. However, there isn’t much we can do to stop this unless we stop spending time with certain people.

    This leads me to wonder if we should actually choose our friends based on the extent of their influence. Often, we become friends with someone if they are approachable and match up with our interests. However, we do not consider the effect of their habits on us. If we become friends with someone who often slacks off and does not focus, it is likely that we will eventually reflect these same traits. Therefore, it is crucial to consider one’s behavior and habits when choosing friends. If a friend is toxic for you, it is not bad to cut them out. This is because different people have different interests. Sometimes, these interests do not align. It is often better for you to spend time with someone who will have a positive influence on you.

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  3. Liya AbilFebruary 7, 2024 at 8:17 PM

    Hi Daniela, I think your topic about how the people closest in your life affect your thoughts and actions is very interesting. I definitely have felt the influence of my friends as my music taste, the way I talk, and my mannerisms have changed to be like theirs. This psychological phenomenon is most evident in babies. Babies tend to copy their parents, as these are the people that they see the most often, and so they imitate their parents' to be like them. I saw a video the other day where a baby watched a basketball game with his dad and copied all of the reactions that his dad made, whether it was booing or cheering at the screen. Because parents are the main influences of their life and babies are not born with certain mannerisms, they develop their actions or character through observable learning, watching others do something and then copying it themselves. However, this can also produce bad behaviors depending on the parents. According to the National Institute of Health, those that are abused in their childhood are 95% more likely to be aggressive when they grow up. This ties in to the power that parents hold, and how children copy their parents because that behavior is what they are most exposed and accustomed to.

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  4. Brahmani VelagapudiFebruary 7, 2024 at 9:35 PM

    Hey Daniela,
    I think your topic is so relatable because it's something that happens to almost everybody, but it's not something we consciously think about. I didn't give much thought to the fact that I do this too until I saw your blog. I saw this video a while ago where this girl is talking about how much her best friend impacts the decisions she makes. Even in the simple things. She was talking about how she looked around her house one day and realized how many things she'd bought because she'd seen her best friend use it or heard her rave about it. Your story about the Red Bull reminded me of that. I think it's so beautiful the way your best friend becomes so ingrained in your life that when you look back and imagine what it would be like if you never made friends with them you realize that a majority of the "normal" things in your life wouldn't be a part of it either.

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