Now I know that this seems to be an odd statement for a teenager to make, but bear with me as I explain my reasoning behind the statement.

So-called "Peer Pressure" is meerly as excuse that teenagers use to get away with the things that they do. Teens don't want to take responsibility for the bad things that they do, so they blame the nearest thing to them, their peers. But, the thing that most people don't realize is that the teens' peers are not forcing these kids to drink (or whatever the issue is) at gunpoint. The kids made their own choice based on what they wanted to do, not what they thought they had to do, based on all the pressure.

Kids won't do something that is already a set NO in their mind. They have to already want to do the drinking (or whatever) and therefore, they do it. I mean, it goes right along with that old saying, "Well, if your friends jumped off a bridge, would you too?" You see, jumping off a bridge is an absolute NO in most kids' mind, so of course this possiblity is laughable. So, therefore, when a teen is faced with an issue such as drinking (sorry to use this so much as the example but it's the only one I can think of right now), the teen will either not drink or drink based on what values and lines they have already set in their mind, NOT on what their friends are telling them is "cool" or not.

And why would a teenager not use this age old excuse? I mean, it is a commonly accepted excuse that everyone buys into. You get caught doing something that you should be doing and you simply say "But, you have to understand, there is so much Peer Pressure for kids our age," and everyone will just nod their heads sympathetically and say how unfair it is. But what everyone really needs to realize is that kids do want to do the things they do and should bear responsibility for their actions.

But one thing I am not saying is that Mob Mentality does not exist. Yes, Mob Mentality makes someone want to do what they know they shouldn't when they are around others who are doing the same thing, but the main point is that, even then the person wants to do it and is not actually being forced to.

So now you know my reasoning and beliefs concerning the issue of Peer Pressure (of lack thereof). Make what you will of my reasoning, but that's my stance on the issue. Just keep all this in mind the next time you go to use that age-old excuse of "Peer Pressure made me do it".