Why do Teens Feel the Need to Fit in?
By Shreya Rohatgi
Aristotle once said, “Man is by nature a social animal; an individual who is unsocial naturally and not accidentally is either beneath our notice or more than human. Society is something that precedes the individual.”
This means that from his point of view, humans require social interaction in order to survive. Whether you agree or disagree with Aristotle, basic relationships must be formed in order to sustain and bring about new life. In theory, what this philosopher mentions can be supported scientifically. To what degree does this statement impact the modern world? More specifically, can such a thought process explain the teenage gravitation toward “aesthetics?”
A profound notion, I’m sure. From novels to movies, teens are always portrayed as “trying to fit in” amongst an ever-changing crowd of their peers. Picture any scene from a coming-of-age movie; you’re bound to remember the awkwardness of the main character shuffling through the cafeteria, trying to discover which stereotype to join. From the clichés of the “jocks” and “nerds” to the newer “vsco girls” and “e-boys,” teens feel the need to rebrand themselves after befriending fellow students that identify under that “aesthetic.”
Present day situations like high school are far from the survival mentality Aristotle spoke in reference to, but they still represent the basic need to fit in with society. It’s often understood that teens view the beginning of high school as a fresh start in comparison to the earlier grades. With the new role as a high school student, teens can feel like they must adapt to the new maturity and adopt new characteristics to make friends with similar ideologies. While the self-conscious nature kicks in, Aristotle’s idea can explain that the meaning of survival is simply avoiding outcast territory at all times. If this means joining various social groups for the simple purpose of being identified with a new aesthetic, then so be it. Though this process of following such norms is deemed as “basic,” more often than not, teens will actively choose to live under this stereotype, as deviating from the norm can cause unneeded duress to their social standing.
High school is meant to be a time where students find their interests and grow as individuals before venturing out into the adult world, but it’s also a time where students question the worth of themselves and, unfortunately, their peers. School organizations and staff members try their best to alleviate any tension within the student body, but bullying remains a part of the high school experience. In order to “survive,” teens brandish their aesthetic like shiny plates of armor, hoping to retain their friend groups and, in turn, maintain these relationships to keep them safe from the negativity associated with isolationism.
These stereotypes have been used for methods of staying inside the social hierarchy, but what about those who choose to be unique and make their own aesthetic?
Self-actualization journeys last longer than a few years in high school, but for the ones that have already decided who they are from an early age, they are sure to let everyone know. Teens that have already identified who they are may choose to exhibit characteristics that rebel against social norms through a new aesthetic. Clearly defining who they are, such students ironically create a new stereotype for those who choose to be different, yet walk the same exact “trendsetting” process.
The need to be aesthetically pleasing ultimately boils down to the need to be viewed a certain way. The relationships formed or lost help to explain the rebranding process, but it’s the ways in which teens self-identify that contribute to this ongoing practice. Trying on these many roles and clinging to whichever looks best can be one way to control an outside perception, but it comes at the cost of climbing a social ladder that, unfortunately, ceases to exist in the real world. In reality, staying true to your morals, character, and natural personality, is a much simpler and far more authentic experience.