The Conformist Myth
Everybody’s not doing it. Sometimes it does seem that way, but a perceptive young person will eventually discover that a lot fewer people are “doing it” than the crowd would have them believe.
Everybody’s not having premarital sex. My research indicates that more than 50 percent of high school students aren’t “doing it.” That’s a significant number.
Everybody’s not using tobacco. In fact, smoking is at historically low levels, with a recent survey conducted by the National Institute of Health indicating that as many as 80 percent of teenagers do not smoke.
Everybody’s not using alcohol. The latest national survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found that only about 50 percent of teens engage in underage drinking by the time they graduate high school.
Everybody’s not doing drugs. The National Institute on Drug Abuse’s “Monitoring the Future” survey found that in 2009, less than 47 percent of high school seniors had ever engaged in any illicit drug use. In particular, recreational use of stimulants has sharply decreased in recent years.
Everybody’s not losing or “outgrowing” their faith. The Washington Times reported a teen survey that revealed that nearly 70 percent of all teenagers consider faith to be an important part of their lives. Another survey of 3,000 U.S. households found that around 50 percent of teens consider faith to be extremely important, and only around 8 percent did not value religion at all.
The lie that everybody’s doing it is often used by teenagers to manipulate their friends and peers into conforming to the rest of the crowd. Well, don’t believe the Conformist Myth. Everybody’s not “doing it.” A hefty percentage of teenagers know how to say no. And they’re doing it more and more.
Excerpted from Don’t Check Your Brains At The Door copyright 2011 by Josh McDowell and Bob Hostetler. Thomas Nelson, Inc. pg. 162-163. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
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