False Self Revisited

In a lot of ways we like to look at ourselves in a positive light. However, when it comes to friends, we like to lower ourselves in order to fit in. People will dumb themselves down in order to not cause conflict with their group of friends and themselves. Kids don’t like to be over achievers. Instead they want to seem like everyone else. I don’t understand this. In contrast, I feel that my group of friends did not do this. We never really spoke about grades, or how well we did, but we always said “oh I did good” or “oh I did bad” or whatever. I feel that in high school, it is especially important to fit in and look cool. If you “over-achieve” you are outcast. If you don’t try hard you may disappoint yourself or your family, maybe even your teachers. People also see success as a form of guilt. I find this way of thinking to be odd. However, this causes jealousy. I know within my own family, people are jealous of other people because they have nice things. Instead of just being happy for them, people try to create competition. For what? For recognition? Honestly to me that is stupidity. Either way, it is always a cycle in our society. People always want to do things to fit in. Over exceeding in things is not something that is part of the plan.