positive thinking thought #19
Stay Away from Negative Influences Today's teenagers learn from adult behavior and the media. They face peer pressure. Peer pressu...
Stay Away from Negative Influences
1. Negative People
An eagle's egg was placed in the nest of a prairie chicken. The egg hatched and the little eagle grew up thinking it was a prairie chicken. The eagle did what the prairie chickens did. It scratched in the dirt for seeds. It clucked and cackled. It never flew more than a few feet because that is what the prairie chickens did. One day he saw an eagle flying gracefully and majestically in the open sky. He asked the prairie chickens: "What is that beautiful bird?" The chickens replied, "That is an eagle. He is an outstanding bird, but you cannot fly like him because you are just a prairie chicken." So the eagle never gave it a second thought, believing that to be the truth. He lived the life of and died a prairie chicken, depriving himself of his heritage because of his lack of vision. What a waste! He was born to win, but was conditioned to lose.
The same thing is true of most people. The unfortunate part of life is as Oliver Wendall Holmes said, "Most people go to their graves, with music still in them." We don't achieve excellence because of our own lack of vision.
If you want to soar like an eagle, you have to learn the ways of an eagle. If you associate with achievers, you will become one. If you associate with thinkers, you will become one. If you associate with givers, you will become one. If you associate with complainers, you will become one.
Whenever people succeed in life, petty people will take cracks at them and try to pull them down. When you refuse to fight petty people, you win. In martial arts, they teach that when someone takes a crack at you, instead of blocking you should step away. Why? Even to block you require energy. Why not use it more productively?
Similarly, in order to fight petty people, you have to come down to their level. This is what they want, because now you are one of them. Don't let negative people drag you down. Remember, a person's character is not only judged by the company he or she keeps but also by the company he or she avoids.
2. Smoking, Drugs and Alcohol
One reason that I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time.
--Lady Astor
Drinking makes a person lose his inhibitions and give exhibitions.
In my travels, I have noticed that in some countries drinking has become a national pastime. If you don't drink, they look at you as if there is something wrong. Their motto is: "It doesn't matter how bad your English is, as long as your Scotch is good." If a banker asked them what their liquid assets are, they would bring two bottles of Scotch.
Drinking and smoking are glamorized today. It all starts with the first time. If you ask people why they consume alcohol or take drugs, they will give you a host of reasons, such as: to celebrate; to have fun; to forget problems; to relax; to experiment; to impress (it is cool to drink); to be fashionable; to mingle; for business purposes.
People want to conform to peer pressure. I am amazed at the way peer pressure compels with phrases such as: "Aren't you my friend?"; "One for the road"; "One for my health."
The following poem from an unknown author explains the dilemma of a social drinker well
I've drunk to your
Health in taverns,
I've drunk to your
Health in my home,
I've drunk to your
Health so damn
many times,
That I've almost
ruined my own!
Drinking and driving cost lives. According to Jerry Johnson,* the American Hospital Association reports that half of all hospital admissions are alcohol-related and according to the National Safety Council's 1989 Accident Facts Edition, a person is injured in an alcohol-related crash every 60 seconds.
3. Pornography
Pornography is nothing short of dehumanizing women and children.
The consequences of pornography are that it
- Dehumanizes women
- Victimizes children
- Destroys marriages
- Encourages sexual violence
- Makes fun of ethical and moral values
- Destroys individuals, families, and communities
- ''In his book It's Killing Our Kids, Word Publishing, p. xv.
- From the National Coalition for the Protection of Children and families, Annual Report,1995.
4. Violent Movies and Television Programs
Today's kids are learning their attitudes and values more from television and movies than from anywhere else. It is estimated that in the United States, by the time a youngster gets out of high school, he has watched more than 20,000 hours of television, witnessed 15,000 murders, and watched 100,000 alcohol-related commercials.
They convey the message that drinking is fun, smoking is glamorous, and drugs are the "in" thing. No wonder the crime rate is so high!
Soap operas glamorize premarital and extramarital sex. No wonder commitments are lacking in relationships and divorce rates are high. Impressionable viewers set their standards and benchmarks based on what they see and hear in the media. And no matter who it is, we are all impressionable to varying degrees.
5. Profanity
Using profanities show a lack of self-control and discipline.
6. Rock Music
The lyrics of some hit songs are obscene. We can be subconsciously influenced by the music we hear and the performance we watch.
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