When I was a teenager, I had friends who did drugs (smoked pot, it was a simpler time) even though I had no interest at all. Whenever they were going off to smoke they would ask if I wanted to join them. I would say "no, thanks" and they would go away, do their thing, and come back. Not once did they ever try to pressure me into joining them. Not once did they call me chicken. So, I never understood all the talk about peer pressure and drug use - my friends didn't feel any differently about me because I chose not to join them, and they never made me feel like an outsider. Maybe that proves they were real friends.
Now that I am older, I choose to try and avoid junk food. However, people have no respect for that choice. Friends and strangers alike are constantly trying to push things on me. Why, when someone offers a cookie (or whatever) and I politely refuse, they persist, "oh, come on" "one cookie won't hurt you" "you can afford it" "you know you want it" Why does it matter to them whether I eat one or not?
I think from now on I'll just say I'm diabetic to shut them up.
Posted by Vox at December 9, 2003 02:40 PM | general