On YouTube
Girl, set your standards high || Acharya Prashant (2023)
Shakti
48.4K views
1 year ago
Education
Role Models
Peer Pressure
Marie Curie
Sarojini Naidu
Mahadevi Varma
Parenting
Self-Respect
Description

Acharya Prashant addresses a father's concern regarding the social pressure his high-achieving daughter faces from peers who prioritize superficial popularity and relationships. He explains that internal standards must be set very high to make mediocre influences irrelevant. Just as lifting heavy weights makes lighter ones insignificant, introducing a young person to truly worthy individuals raises their internal bar. He suggests that if a student is deeply engaged with the life stories of great figures like Marie Curie, they will naturally lose respect for peers who are valued only for their physical appearance or social status. Education and exposure to solid role models are the primary tools to prevent a child from being influenced by the 'glitzy' but mediocre environment of schools and colleges. He emphasizes that if one is unaware of the heights of human possibility, then low-level social standards become the default goal. This is why reading and consuming high-quality content, such as documentaries and biographies, is essential. He warns that without the right role models, young girls may abandon their talents in sports, arts, and academics to chase social validation. He urges parents to take responsibility for introducing their children to great women from history, science, literature, and politics, such as Sarojini Naidu, Mahadevi Varma, or Mahasweta Devi. By providing these glorious examples, parents can protect their children from adopting wrong attitudes and making poor life decisions driven by peer pressure.