Quotessence
Home / Topics / Social Pressure Quotes

Social Pressure Quotes

Browse 54 quotes about Social Pressure.

Social Pressure Quotes

“Because a child is bound to grow, society is intent upon cultivating the child’s mind to mature into a very specific type of responsible person. Children take great pleasure in small things that have no practical purpose in their dreamy world where they can be as wild as wind. Each year a part of the child dies, as it is burden with adult responsibilities.”

ChildrenPleasureSocietyChildhoodExpectationsPleasures Of LifeSocial Pressure
Book:Dead Toad Scrolls
Create image

“Teach him to call it ‘real-life and don’t let him ask what he means by ‘real’. (...) Never having been human (...) you don’t realise how enslaved they are to the pressure of the ordinary. (...) Thanks to processes we set at work in them centuries ago, they find it all but impossible to believe in the unfamiliar while the familiar is before their eyes. Keep pressing home on him the ordinariness of things. (...) But the best of all is to let him read no science but to give him a grand general idea that he knows it all and that everything he happens to have picked up in casual talk and reading is ‘the results of modern investigation’. Do remember you are there to fuddle him.”

CultureHuman NatureEgoDevilSelf AwarenessLazinessBlaming OthersSocial PressureMonkey Mind
Book:The Screwtape Letters
Create image

“I was not enjoying this any longer but I kept turning towards it, and I could not explain why. Was it just because my friends did drugs? Was it because of social pressure or loneliness? Was it because of dependency and habit? For some reason, any alternative seemed better than sobriety. I kept telling myself that I chose this path because it was more fun, more interesting, and more eventful. I told myself that the people who failed to choose it were just afraid to let go and live. Then I would go and have the craziest adventures, and each one would propel me deeper into this lifestyle. Somewhere deep down, I knew that I was lying to myself, and yet each escapade pulled me deeper into my own little biosphere of lies and delusions.”

LonelinessHabitDrugsSocial Pressure
Book:Pursued: God’s relentless pursuit and a drug addict’s journey to finding purpose
Create image

“All social orders command their members to imbibe in pipe dreams of posterity, the mirage of immortality, to keep them ahead of the extinction that would ensue in a few generations if the species did not replenish itself. This is the implicit, and most pestiferous, rationale for propagation: to become fully integrated into a society, one must offer it fresh blood. Naturally, the average set of parents does not conceive of their conception as a sacrificial act. These are civilized human beings we are talking about, and thus they are quite able to fill their heads with a panoply of less barbaric rationales for reproduction, among them being the consolidation of a spousal relationship; the expectation of new and enjoyable experiences in the parental role; the hope that one will pass the test as a mother or father; the pleasing of one’s own parents, not to forget their parents and possibly a great-grandparent still loitering about; the serenity of taking one’s place in the seemingly deathless lineage of a familial enterprise; the creation of individuals who will care for their paternal and maternal selves in their dotage; the quelling of a sense of guilt or selfishness for not having done their duty as human beings; and the squelching of that faint pathos that is associated with the childless. Such are some of the overpowering pressures upon those who would fertilize the future. These pressures build up in people throughout their lifetimes and must be released, just as everyone must evacuate their bowels or fall victim to a fecal impaction. And who, if they could help it, would suffer a building, painful fecal impaction? So we make bowel movements to relieve this pressure. Quite a few people make gardens because they cannot stand the pressure of not making a garden. Others commit murder because they cannot stand the pressure building up to kill someone, either a person known to them or a total stranger. Everything is like that. Our whole lives consist of metaphorical as well as actual bowel movements, one after the other. Releasing these pressures can have greater or lesser consequences in the scheme of our lives. But they are all pressures, all bowel movements of some kind. At a certain age, children are praised for making a bowel movement in the approved manner. Later on, the praise of others dies down for this achievement and our bowel movements become our own business, although we may continue to praise ourselves for them. But overpowering pressures go on governing our lives, and the release of these essentially bowel-movement pressures may once again come up for praise, congratulations, and huzzahs of all kinds.”

SacrificeImmortalityFutilityReproductionSocial Pressure
Book:The Conspiracy Against the Human Race
Create image

“Some people think they can find satisfaction in good food, fine clothes, lively music, and sexual pleasure. However, when they have all these things, they are not satisfied. They realize happiness is not simply having their material needs met. Thus, society has set up a system of rewards that go beyond material goods. These include titles, social recognition, status, and political power, all wrapped up in a package called self-fulfillment. Attracted by these prizes and goaded on by social pressure, people spend their short lives tiring body and mind to chase after these goals. Perhaps this gives them the feeling that they have achieved something in their lives, but in reality they have sacrificed a lot in life. They can no longer see, hear, act, feel, or think from their hearts. Everything they do is dictated by whether it can get them social gains. In the end, they've spent their lives following other people's demands and never lived a life of their own. How different is this from the life of a slave or a prisoner?”

SelfHappinessCommunitySacrificeHonestySlaveryGenuineEmptinessTaoismBe YourselfDishonestyPrestigeAuthenticPhonyStatusSocial PressureArtificialitySocial Role
Book:Lieh-tzu: A Taoist Guide to Practical Living
Create image

“heeping (noun): a state of mindlessly following others when in fact you know the truth and the right actions you must take, but you don’t want to overcome social resistance, accept the brief emotional pain of going against social pressure, and assume full responsibility for your life.”

ResistanceBook QuotesLive Your LifeSocial PressureFollowing The CrowdSeeking ApprovalHay House
Book:The Pursuit of Dreams: Claim Your Power, Follow Your Heart, and Fulfill Your Destiny
Create image

“All "if" statements about the past are as dubious as prophecies of the future are. It seems fairly plausible that if Alexander or Ghengis Khan had never been born, some other individual would have filled his place and executed the design of the Hellenic or Mongolic expansion; but the Alexanders of philosophy and religion, of science and art, seem less expendable; their impact seems less determined by economic challenges and social pressures; and they seem to have a much wider range of possibilities to influence the direction, shape and texture of civilizations.”

IfsArtPhilosophySeemsPastIndividualSocialBornChallengesInfluenceEconomicDesignPossibilityCivilizationShapesPressureImpactFilledDeterminedStatementsRangeProphecyExpansionTextureArt And SciencePlausibleDubiousPhilosophy And ReligionSocial PressureExpendables
Author:Arthur Koestler
Create image

“As we have come to understand the psychology of evil, we have realized that such transformations of human character are not as rare as we would like to believe. Historical inquiry and behavioral science have demonstrated the "banality of evil" -- that is, under certain conditions and social pressures, ordinary people can commit acts that would otherwise be unthinkable.”

PeopleBelieveHumansCharacterCertainEvilSocialPsychologyConditionsOrdinaryTransformationPressureHistoricalCommitInquiryOrdinary PeopleUnthinkableBanalitySocial Pressure
Author:Philip Zimbardo
Create image

“In addition to the social pressures from the scientific community there is also at work a very human trait of individual scientist. I call it the law of the instrument , and it may be formulated as follows: Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding. It comes as no particular surprise to discover that a scientist formulates problems in a way which requires for their solution just those techniques in which he himself is especially skilled.”

WayNeedsGivingHumansMayProblemLawIndividualSocialCommunityBoysParticularSolutionsScientistPressureInstrumentsSurpriseTechniqueEncountersTraitsHammersSocial Pressure
Book:The Conduct of Inquiry: Methodology for Behavioural Science
Create image

“Self-censorship as a result of intimidation or social pressures, sometimes referred to as "political correctness", constitutes a serious obstacle to the proper functioning of democracy. It is important to hear the views of all persons,including the "silent majority", and to give heed to the weaker voices.”

GivingPersonsImportantSelfSometimesPoliticalSocialVoiceResultsViewsDemocracySeriousPressureMajoritySilentIncludingObstaclesCensorshipPolitical CorrectnessHeedCorrectnessIntimidationSocial PressureSelf CensorshipSilent Majority
Author:Alfred-Maurice de Zayas
Create image

“The universal social pressure upon women to be all alike, and do all the same things, and to be content with identical restrictions, has resulted not only in terrible suffering in the lives of exceptional women, but also in the loss of unmeasured feminine values in special gifts. The Drama of the Woman of Genius has too often been a tragedy of misshapen and perverted power.”

SufferingValuesSocialLossSpecialGeniusTerribleDramaUniversalTragedyPressureFeminineExceptionalRestrictionIdenticalSocial PressureSpecial Gifts
Book:Woman's Share in Social Culture
Create image

“I really feel concerned about young people within our present culture. Our present culture, we have to change. Change is inevitable and I wasn't raised in our present culture but it has great pressure that as a young person I never had. Material pressure, social pressure, visual pressure, how you look, and I just try to appeal to young people to think for themselves, to be their own person, and to ask questions and also be very attentive to our planet and our environment.”

PeopleThinkingFeelsTryingLooksPersonsYoungCultureAsksSocialEnvironmentPlanetsMaterialsConcernedPressureRaisedAppealsInevitableVisualsOur PlanetOur EnvironmentSocial PressureChange Is Inevitable
Author:Patti Smith
Create image

“Without a sense of the shame or guilt of his or her action, the child will only be hardened in rebellion by physical punishment. Shame (and praise) help the child to internalize the parent's judgment. It impresses upon the child that the parent is not only more powerful but also right. Like the Puritans, Locke (in 1690), wanted the child to adopt the parent's moral position, rather than simply bow to superior strength or social pressure.”

ChildrenHelpingActionWantedSocialParentPowerfulMoralPositionJudgmentPressurePraiseShameGuiltPunishmentSuperiorsRebellionBowsImpressPuritanHardenedSocial Pressure
Author:C. Sommerville
Create image

“Smaller companies are often more homogenous. Don't simply increase your diversity because of the social pressure to do so. Instead, realize that hiring a more diverse team will give you a whole new repertoires of innovative ideas. And then develop a strategy for effectively using the diversity of your team.”

GivingIdeasWholeSocialRealizingCompanyTeamDiversityIncreasePressureStrategyDiverseInnovativeHiringSocial PressureInnovative IdeasDiverse Teams
Author:David Livermore
Create image

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

LifeInspirationalLongMadeStrongGrowsStruggleGrowingPositive ThinkingWindOvercomingDifficultyStressPressureAdversityContraryDiamondEncouragingJewelsJewelryOvercoming AdversityOaksRemindingUnder PressureJewelleryNo PressureSocial PressureUnder StressLife StressStrong Winds
Book:Prayers Offered by the Chaplain, the Rev. Peter Marshall, D.D.: At the Opening of the Daily Sessions of the Senate of the United States During the Eightieth and Eighty-first Congress 1947-1949
Create image

“It was February sixth: eight days until Valentine's Day. I was dateless, as usual, deep in the vice grip of unrequited love. It was bad enough not having a boyfriend for New Year's Eve. Now I had to cope with Valentine datelessness, feeling consummate social pressure from every retailer in America who stuck hearts and cupids in their windows by January second to rub it in.”

YearsHeartEnoughFeelingsAmericaSocialWindowPressureVicesEightStuckUsualNew YearUnrequited LoveValentineValentine's DayJanuaryUnrequitedFebruaryNew Years EveCupidRetailersSocial Pressure
Author:Joan Bauer
Create image

“Because of social pressure, individualism is rejected by most people in favor of conformity. Thus the individual relies mainly upon the actions of others and neglects the meaning of his own personal life. Hence he sees his own life as meaningless and falls into the “existential vacuum” feeling inner void. Progressive automation causes increasing alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, and suicide.”

PeopleFeelingsActionFallIndividualSocialCausesPressureSuicideFavorsRelyNeglectProgressiveConformityMeaninglessVoidIndividualismExistentialRejectedPersonal LifeAlcoholismVacuumsJuvenileAutomationDelinquencySocial PressureJuvenile Delinquency
Author:Viktor E. Frankl
Create image

“Being vegan is easy. Are there social pressures that encourage you to continue to eat, wear, and use animal products? Of course there are. But in a patriarchal, racist, homophobic, and ableist society, there are social pressures to participate and engage in sexism, racism, homophobia, and ableism. At some point, you have to decide who you are and what matters morally to you. And once you decide that you regard victimizing vulnerable nonhumans is not morally acceptable, it is easy to go and stay vegan”

MatterUseCoursesSocialEasyAnimalProductsRacismPressureRegardWho You AreVulnerableRacistSexismVegetarianVeganAcceptableWhat MattersVeganismHomophobiaHomophobicAbolitionistSocial PressureFrancione
Author:Gary L. Francione
Create image

“All classes of people under social pressure are permeated with a common experience; they are emotionally welded as others cannot be. With them, even ordinary living has epic depth and lyric intensity, and this, their material handicap, is their spiritual advantage.”

PeopleSpiritualSocialJusticeCommonClassMaterialsDiversityOrdinaryAdvantagePressureSocial JusticeDepthIntensityEpicHandicapsSocial PressureCommon Experience
Book:Crit Temp Alain Locke: A Selection of His Essays on Art and Culture
Create image

“Now that science has helped us to overcome the awe of the unknown in nature, we are the slaves of social pressures of our own making. When called upon to act independently, we cry for patterns, systems, and authorities. If by enlightenment and intellectual progress we mean the freeing of man from superstitious belief in evil forces, in demons and fairies, in blind fate--in short, the emancipation from fear--then denunciation of what is currently called reason is the greatest service reason can render.”

IfsMenMeanReasonEvilBeliefForceSocialFateProgressCryAuthorityIntellectualEnlightenmentOvercomingPressureBlindSlavePatternsDemonFairyAweEmancipationSuperstitiousSocial Pressure
Book:EPZ Eclipse of Reason
Create image

“The whole point of anti-Semitism has been to create a vulnerable buffer group that can be bribed with some privileges into managing the exploitation of others, and then, when social pressure builds, be blamed and scapegoated, distracting those at the bottom from the crimes of those at the top. Peasants who go on pogrom against their Jewish neighbors won't make it to the nobleman's palace to burn him out and seize the fields. This was the role of Jews in Europe. This has been the role of Jews in the United States, and this is the role of Jews in the Middle East.”

Has BeensStatesWholeSocialUnitedRolesUnited StatesGroupsMiddleCrimeFieldsGoes OnEuropePressureBottomPrivilegeJewEastNeighborVulnerableMiddle EastExploitationPalacesPeasantsAnti SemitismSocial PressureNoblemen
Author:Aurora Levins Morales
Create image