Troubled Youth

Sometimes the threat of punishment and suffering through them can change a person. It is also shown that kids with a lower status will have more a personal defense for themselves. Amir for example isn’t picked on nearly as much as Hassan by Assef. This is because Amir’s Baba is a well know, influential man but Hassan’s father is a servant. Hassan is what they call a Hazara in the book the Kite Runner ; and is looked down on by society. In the book he shows his bravery towards the bullies when it says; “I turned and came face to face with Hassan’s slingshot…Hassan held the slingshot pointed directly at Assef’s face.”(Hasseini 41-42). Many kids may not feel that other’s deserve the power they give themselves.

Although geeky kids may not always support those that have the power, they try to use knowledge to get them through . Knowledge won’t always get you through life but they need some sort of support system from others. Bender states in her article that; “Underachievers don’t become Bill Gates and Einstein’s of the world. Society needs to wise up and become a cheerleader for all the geeks out there who can make remarkable contributions to the world.”(Bender 1). At times it’s impossible to meet the expectations of society and your peers. The kids who do well in school don’t always show their full potential fearing their peers will shoot them down for being different or odd. Yet kids who don’t do as well in school, blowing it off are considered cool to their peers. They will regret this the future when the time comes to start a career. Bender goes on to talk about her daughter’s stuggle to get into the college she wants to. Many peers like the fake versions of people instead of accepting who they truly are. One example of this is from the article on underachieving when she says; “…Our daughter had finally realized that her peers loved her “dumb blonde” routine and bad girl behavior more so than the bright teacher’s pet she’d been known as in elementary school.”(Bender 1). It isn’t always worth it in the end, you will ruin your chance at a good career.

The choices we make now affect every aspect of our future, which can be destroyed when kids try to fit in. Personalities change when kids try fitting and parents may never catch it. Rebelling can cost you money, time, life and limb depending on your culture’s expectations. So there are choices kids must make when they don’t fit in. They can pay the price for getting caught if the want to try to follow society or change who they are. They can pressure others to follow them or be pressured to follow others. It all boils down to if a kid wants to follow others expectations or follow kids who don’t fit in and pay whatever the price might be.