ABC used to have a show called, “What Would You Do?” They would use actors to create uncomfortable situations among real people in everyday settings to see how they would react.
I found myself in a somewhat similar situation the other day as I watched a group of men play out a little peer pressure scenario right in front of me.
A golf tournament I was part of ended up getting rained out. The clubhouse began to fill quickly as the golfers made their way off the course and with no golf to be played eating and drinking quickly became the new alternative.
Five young men in their early twenties walked into the restaurant/bar clubhouse and were quickly called over to a table of men ranging in age from the late twenties to the late fifties.
As they sat down the most boisterous of the older group greeted one of the younger men with a hearty, “Happy Birthday!” The young man said that his birthday was a couple of months ago. The ringleader wasn’t accepting that and said, “No, it’s your birthday today and we’re doing shots!” I’m thinking that along with his golf shots on the course he had already partaken in a few of the liquid shots before entering the clubhouse.
The young man politely declined the free shot but the other man stood up and yelled across the room to the bartender, “Nine shots over here right now! We’re celebrating Jake’s twenty-first birthday!” The young man said he wasn’t going to drink it and was told in no uncertain terms that he would as he was called a few names that you might hear in a locker room.
The waiter came and passed the shots around to everyone in the group. I don’t think anyone in the group was aware of my voyeuristic observance of these activities but I might be wrong. The self-appointed party master told everyone to raise their glasses to toast Jake (name changed to protect the innocent) on his made up 21st birthday.
Everyone picked up the glass but Jake. The ringleader said, “C’mon, Jake, pick it up you ……!” One of Jake’s friends knew Jake didn’t want to but said, “Just do it, Jake, and get it over with.”
Jake politely said, “No thank you.” He then got up and calmly walked out and told his friends he would see them later.
The man who started it all again told everyone to raise their glasses and said, “To Jake, a little ……..,” and everyone quickly went bottoms up.
So, what would you do in that situation? We have opportunities to be courageous everyday. I have no doubt Jake will hear more about this incident from that guy. I applaud Jake for standing up to the courage of his convictions in spite of his youthfulness and standing up to his elders while at least one other person in the room was watching.
Do you have the courage to walk away or do you follow the crowd?
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Romans 12:2 Galatians 1:10
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
Great story. A great question would be, “What would you have done if you were Jake?” I walked out of a similar meeting of some powerful penny stock brokers back when they were in their heyday in the Denver area. I walked out because they wanted me to join them in their illegal activities and some of them present had oversight over my personal income. The SEC later investigated some of them but left me alone.
Thanks, Ron. I know in this particular case I would have had no problem walking away. I’m sure there are other circumstances where it would have been more difficult to take a stand. That’s what courage is all about, learning to be stronger each day and taking stands when they are unpopular!