People and the Power of Influence It was eight in the evening when we took shelter from a drugstore because of the drizzling rain. He told me he would take no calls that evening, yet his phone kept buzzing non-stop. As he picked up the call, the person on the other side went into full-on rambling mode. A few minutes later, he made calls to a nearby hospital and sent someone there. When I queried him about the call, he said, “A security guard from our apartment was making rounds on the terrace and fell to the ground. Some people, out on their walk, found him and contacted me because they believed I could arrange the hospital and transportation quickest.” “Is he ok?” I asked, to which my father replied, “He will be.” That night I realized the power of people and their influence. People have used their brain powers to create both banes and boons for our planet. Ranging from nuclear bombs, ignorant climate control to penicillin and robotic surgery. What about the mind powers people have? Do they exist? Yes, they do, and the most powerful one out of all is influence. In simple words, influence is the effect one has over others’ feelings, decisions and actions. In the instance before, the people out on a walk reached out to my father because he’s known for being a go-getter and for his resourcefulness. Think back to the last crisis you faced. Whom did you call for help? Do you think that person influenced your life? Now that he’d earned people’s trust, my father would want to retain his reliability. So, he tries to keep his name high in the sky of praise by continuing his good work. Influence goes both ways. He influences the people by exhibiting his steadfastness and the people influence him by his own will to be recognized as commendable. Let’s go on a higher level of people's influence. Global icons BTS are known for their meaningful lyrics and mesmerizing choreography. But the messages they convey through their music: destroying toxic masculinity, self-confidence, women empowerment, self-love, and much more, aren’t common among most artists. Their music transcends language barriers and resonates with people dealing with mental health issues, struggles of growing up amongst different things, burn-outs, and going through different stages of life. Some people have taken to posting online about their experiences with BTS: “They taught me that no matter what shape you are, what skin color you have, what height you have, just work hard to achieve your goals and love yourself.” - Nimra Khalid via medium.com “I used to try to find happiness through other people’s validations, but all because of BTS, I’ve realized that I need to love myself for who I am. Their diligent efforts and patience inspire me to put my best in whatever I do, whether it’s writing, reading, or my homework. I have come so far in learning to love myself, in finding myself.” -Pankil Jhajhria via assembly.malala.org BTS has a global influence that positively affects people. What about an even larger scale of people's influence? Back in the old days, people used to worship God, but with concepts of monotheism, polytheism, and atheism coming up, people have begun to worship their chosen idols. And which is the largest platform available for doing all that? Social Media. I’ve seen social media used to its advantage in crucial situations. A recent instance would be the “Black Lives Matter” movement which raised over $90 million in 2020 alone. 23% of U.S citizens have said to change their views on this issue because of social platforms like Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. On the lighter side, these platforms help people find a community to exhibit creativity and learn to self-express. This was the greener side of the grass; social media has its dark side too. The arrow of this dark side that majorly looks to aim at adolescents. The biggest negative effect of social media, which I would like to wholeheartedly emphasize upon, is body dysmorphia. Models and influencers on social media who get paid to endorse a product, look like they came out freshly made from the bakery of photoshopping and not a mother’s womb. It’s OK for people to post the pictures they wish to, but what is not OK is how adolescents are affected by them. Teenage years are especially turbulent because of the rapid physical changes and deep emotional turmoil-the current pandemic scenario being the cherry on top for the outdoorsy teenagers. So, the only thing they turn to is social media apps. Just a minute’s scrolling and you’ll feel the inadequacy: body-wise, life-wise, and other “wises” which do not make you feel good. Time-consuming thoughts like these really eat up a person, inside out. Social media is a guilty pleasure and it comes with its price to pay. Lastly, a statement that everyone needs to know about and understand is- How Other People Influence You and Why It’s OK. In most cultures, influence is seen as a strategy to always getting what you want, hence, is seen as a bad thing; it’s not a four-letter word yet it’s considered bad. Influence is everywhere, and you can’t deny it. As a schoolgirl going on a field trip, Sara decides on pairing simple leggings with a red top. Then she remembers that all her friends had taken to denim recently saying it was “the new cool” thing. Soon after, she changes her decision and departs wearing denim jeans. Now, you could call this peer pressure, but before jumping to conclusions, look at the following instances: 1. Jon and his family decided on having Indian food so they went out for dinner one Friday night. There were two restaurants opposite each other; STB and Akhsuna. They both served the same quality food, the only difference being the lower price at Akhsuna. STB had a huge waiting line compared to the other restaurant. After analyzing the situation, Jon and his family went to STB. 2. Three siblings Amy, Ben, and Cal decide on group exercising for three months straight to see how it would affect them. They all come up with exercise ideas that turn out to be dissimilar. Amy voted for weightlifting, Ben selected yoga and Cal opted for running. The goal was to group workout but each of their ideas was drastically different from the other. So, instead, they decided to set out and come back at the same time together. In example 1, Jon decided to go to STB because of the huge waiting line; nothing attracts a crowd like a crowd. Here, there wasn't any peer pressure, only the simple daily life concept of social conformity. In example 2, the three siblings decided on the main goal- fitness. They had contrasting opinions, therefore couldn't workout together. However, they chose to have the same departure and arrival timings. People are similar to each other which is an advantage when making friends, but at times, each of us feels the need to be different in our own ways. Imagine one yellow rose and five red roses. The bunch of flowers are all under the umbrella term of roses, however, the yellow one possesses its own distinction- right on the borderline between difference and similarity. Influence is not a weapon nor a tool, but a strategy to make things happen. Our family, colleagues, famous musical bands, and social media itself, affect us through influence. Look out to influence people the way my father did, the way BTS does, the way social media positively can, and understand that it is OK to be influenced by others because that's part of what shapes our personality. Influence is a gift. “Use it well” - Professor Dumbledore Essay by Anushka Das