Because of this--well, because of many things but this is just easier to point a finger at--I have never been able to go back to a place where I lived and say, "This was my home--I belonged here." Feeling as though we belong somewhere has a tremendous impact on who we are and who we may one day become.
The need to belong is an evolutionary one, embedded in most people's genetic make-up.
Abraham Maslow, a renowned psychologist who conceptualized what is now known as an individual's "Hierarchy of Needs,” reasoned that the need to belong is third on the pyramid to a fulfilling life (the first two are pretty basic--physiological and safety needs), and without that feeling, we simply cannot advance, grow or ever fully become the people we are destined to be.
So--what do you think?
Do you, at the young and impressionable age of 16 or 17, feel the inherent need to belong?
I bold that because feeling the need and feeling that you actually DO belong are sometimes two very different things. The most popular people you can imagine, the ones who are in every club, do every sport, go to every party--do you think THEY feel as though they belong?
If you feel like you do belong somewhere--where is it?
What makes you feel that way?
What does that sense of belonging do for you and your self-esteem?
If you don't feel as though you belong somewhere--why not?
What do you feel is missing?
Are you misunderstood, undervalued, overlooked?
What does NOT feeling like you belong do for you and your self-esteem?
A lot to ponder over--trust me, I know. Give it some thought and tell me about it.
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ReplyDeleteIn my life I have settings where I feel like I do belong and feel needed, the people I surround myself with make me feel this way. My mom, my girl friends, and some of my other close friends make me feel this way. These people aren’t afraid to tell me how much I mean to them, in all of these relationships. My girls show our appreciation for each other. Whether it’s walking each other to class, laughing and making cookies like the good wholesome kids we are, or texting in our group chat, laughing our butts off about something so silly.. I know they will always be there for me. Through the toughest times we show our support and always ride for each other. We truly have an unbreakable bond. So to my girls, Lyanni, Natalia, Kenzie, Izzy, Gianna, Kaela, Gabbie, Cilla, and Kim. I truly don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have you all by my side through it all, big or small. Thank you all for making me feel needed. The sense of feeling needed brings an abundance of emotions along with it. I feel like if everyone in the world thinks I’m wrong, my girls will support me to prove I’m right. This brings pride, happiness, and overall good vibes. Accepting the love and support they give, makes me want to return it. We have gone through a lot but we wouldn’t be who we are individually without each other as a whole.
ReplyDeleteIn other settings I have the feeling like anything or everything I say is just dismissed. Unfortunately I feel this way in significant groups like the soccer team or with some of the guys in my class. The soccer team does bring me happiness but I still have those feelings occur at some points. The guys in my class, only a few, tend to belittle anyone who isn’t as smart as them. They do it to basically anyone when they see an opportunity to make fun. They have their moments. They won’t be like this all the time because they also show love but having that nasty side come out of them doesn’t exactly make me feel loved. I’ve said to myself they are just boys blah blah.. they are immature. But something as little as a “joke” still has a big impact on a persons feelings. This impact can be as big as feeling unneeded, unwanted and overlooked. This feeling just makes you want to shut down completely. Not say anything and they still won’t care. Being with people like this just create a toxic environment for yourself and that relationship. I’ve showed nothing but care and support but it will go unnoticed by those toxic people. The best way to avoid this would probably to ignore those people and so far it was worked for me. I feel like those people that feel the need to fit in everywhere are looking for that attention. Going to every function, just to get something out of it like attention really won’t make your life interesting. I feel as thought those people... are looking for the need to belong.
I do feel like we do have the need to belong because it makes people feel like they matter. But, just because people have friends, it doesn’t always mean that they feel like they belong. Sometimes we feel more alone when we are around people then when we are alone. I don’t have a certain place where I feel like I belong, but I have friends that make me feel like I belong wherever we are. When I say I love my friends, I mean it because I would do anything for them, no matter how stupid it is. My friends make me feel like I belong because knowing my busy schedule, they still invite me to things and try to plan things on my few days off. They can also make me happy no matter how upset I am. Knowing that I belong with these people makes me a happier person because I know that I have people that care about me. I don’t feel like I belong when I go places with my friends where, they have certain people that they hang out with that I don’t know. I’m missing the sense of belonging because I don’t know the people that they know. I don’t feel misunderstood, undervalued, or overlooked because I don’t know them, I just feel excluded. Not feeling like you belong feels awkward in this situation for me because I don’t want to randomly join people’s conversations, if I don’t know them.
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ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel like I do belong and sometimes I do not. In school, most of the time I feel like I do not belong. Mostly because I am different and some of my traits irritate other people. For example, I am loud and competitive. I do not mean to be loud sometimes I do not hear how loud I am ( I blame it on my use of headphones). I also do not mean to be overly competitive, that is just the way I grew up. However, when I am with my own group. I feel like I can be myself, I do not need to take care of every single word I say, and I do not need to impress them. If I am too annoying or if I need to calm down they tell me without hurting my feelings. When I need them they are there for me. They help me get through hard times, and honestly, they are the only thing that keeps me from thinking poorly of myself. Other than that group, I feel very excluded, and I feel like I am trying too hard. I feel excluded especially because later on, I hear about people talking trash about me. Honestly, I do not need that. Because it negatively impacts my self-esteem.
ReplyDeleteHowever, when I got back to Egypt I feel very excluded, and I am supposed to meet specific standards or I will be called an “American”. Which is not very good, because it means that I am a girl with no standards or morals. I do not feel I belong there at all, and I also feel excluded there, too. I am constantly judged, analyzed, and misunderstood. This just does not make me feel good at all about myself. So basically I feel excluded in two different countries. But when I am with my group, parents, and brothers I feel safe and not judged.
Even at this young age, I believe we do feel a need to belong. This is the time where we find what we like and don’t like whether it be clothes, sports, certain traits, etc. Therefore, it’s probably one of the best times, in my opinion, to go out and have a blast. Clubs, sports, and parties are fun and can fill you up with a wonderful sensation of belonging somewhere if you enjoy the people around you and the activity itself. At times, I do feel like I belong. Mainly with my friends since most of us have similar interests that we established. It 100% boosts my self-esteem knowing that I can trust these people and rely on them to help me out with stuff. However, I obviously don’t feel this belonging with everyone I know like some of my friends, acquaintances, strangers, and even my family members. The connection that I have with some of my most trusted people is simply not there and it does make me feel undervalued, sometimes even completely irrelevant to what is going on. It kills my mood and lowers my self-esteem, but not by much. Therefore, I try to keep away from those that I know won’t have that same spark/connection. It’s something that I have learned to get past. Not everyone likes me, not everyone will make me feel like I belong so what is the point of having those moments define me and my self-esteem. It doesn’t always work, especially when that sense of belonging is nonexistent between certain family members like random cousins, aunts, and uncles.
ReplyDeleteAt this age most of us should feel like we belong because of friends we’ve had for years or a relationship but I can’t set an unrealistic standard. There are probably people our age that feel like they do not belong at all because of family issues or maybe they aren’t the most popular in school. I personally don’t think I 100% belong. I have only known more than half the people in my classes since freshman year. I felt welcomed with some people so I can say I belong. Although I feel like the ones who are so involved and known live a happy life where they belong but that’s not true. I’ve seen people be left out. I of course feel like I belong with my family because they are the ones i’ve known the longest and who accept me. I have rarely had a best friend for more than 3 years because I would move schools and it was hard to find someone for that amount of time. It will continue after high school because I will have to make new friends again. The friends I have now make me belong too. I will only associate with people who make me feel belonged so if that’s why we aren’t friends then now you know. Feeling like I belong is such a calming feeling that raises my mood and self esteem. It doesn’t take much to feel like I belong. A simple “hey you look great today,” goes a long way. I can say that now I feel like I belong but if you asked me 4 or 5 years ago then I would have said no. I felt ignored and mistreated like I wasn’t given a chance to prove myself. Sometimes if you are used to a low self esteem and susceptible to rejection then is it really possible for you to ever feel like you will belong?
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ReplyDeleteI do believe that people feel the need to belong. Feeling like you belong doesn't mean going to a bunch of parties, doing sports, or having a million friends. It brings a feeling of comfort and happiness to us. It also really boosts our self esteem. Personally, I feel like I belong when I'm hanging with my friends and family, or my teammates. When I'm with them, I just feel better than when I'm alone. This is because those people make you feel included and like a part of something. The places I feel like I belong are home, school, and many other activities. I think that if you're with people you love or doing something you love, it will always give you the feeling of belonging. I feel like I don't belong in situations where I don't know people very well. It's a lot harder to talk and connect with those people than my close friends. This happens especially when the people I don't really know are friends with my friends. I don't really feel misunderstood or undervalued, but I feel a little bit left out. It additionally, doesn't really hurt my self esteem. I just have to get to know those people better so I feel like I belong. It seems a lot easier to feel belonging with people when they're a lot like you. Feeling like you belong is a great feeling that all people need.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone, including myself, feels the need to belong somewhere or anywhere. Everyone, even the most introverted people, have social interactions that make them want to feel accepted somewhere so that they will eventually have a sense of belonging. Given this, I don't think the most popular people always feel as though they belong. Many times, people will do a bunch of different things to find a place that they want to belong in, but going everywhere and doing everything doesn't necessarily mean you feel as though you belong. Because of this, I personally don't feel like I absolutely belong somewhere because I am a part of many different things. Because of this, I feel like I can't devote all of my time to something in order to feel as though I belong there. So the thing I'm missing is probably just time; there's simply not enough of it. And it doesn't feel terrible or anything, I can deal with it. But if I were to belong somewhere in general, Oakcrest would be my first choice because I feel the best when I'm there.
ReplyDeleteI think that all people do feel the need to belong, and some don’t always realize it but they do need it. I feel like I belong when I'm around the most important people in my life, such as my friends and my family. Also when I'm with my teammates I feel like I belong because we are so close and always have a good time when we're together. Since I've lived in Mays Landing my whole life I definitely feel like it is a place where I belong, I've had some of the best times of my life here. So when I go on vacation or go away I always feel happy when I'm home back in my town, and a feeling like I'm back where I belong. Though even if I'm anywhere in the world I will still feel like I belong there as long as those people that make me feel like I belong are there. The most popular people though may not feel as if they belong, they can have a lot of friends but that doesn’t mean that they belong. People sometimes try to make more friends, do more things, and go to more parties because they feel like they're missing something and this could be that there looking for where they belong. So yeah I definitely feel like all people feel the need to belong, and I think I've found where I belong.
ReplyDeleteBelonging to something is very crucial in most people’s lives, especially teenagers’. Not many people like the feeling of loneliness or even the idea of such a thing. Belonging to something and knowing you have people supporting you is the best feeling ever. My friends makes me feel this way along with my family, and drama club. All of these people pick me up when I nam down, they keep grounded, and they never fail to leave my side. They boost my self esteem on a daily. Although this feeling is great I also feel like there are places where I don’t belong. I do dance and play field hockey and although I love both of these things it just doesn’t feel like I fit in with the people involved. On the dance team, I have one friend and she usually gravitates to another group of friends who I don’t really talk to, and to be quite honest I don’t think they like me. It could all be in my head but I just get that vibe. In field hockey I just don’t fit in. I’m the only junior on jv. I’m totally fine with that because I just started last year and that’s where I should be but I just feel like I don’t fit in with the girls. Even if I did play varsity I still feel like I wouldn’t fit in or belong there. I feel like I would fit in if were more experienced but at the same time then I would just feel overlooked. It just sucks because it makes me feel like I suck at the sport, and I don’t I’m just not one of the best,as expected, and I don’t have a strong relationship with the team.
ReplyDeleteHome has never felt like home. My parents got divorced when I was young, since then i've always had two houses, two rooms, two completely different lives. I was a different person at each house. At my dads I was the tom girl camping and riding dirt bikes with my brothers. At my moms I was the stereotypical girly girl with a pink room, tons of dolls, pretty much anything you can imagine. Because of all that I feel like i've just never been able to be me and have somewhere that felt like home. Even now I really would rather be anywhere but “home”. For a while I would make up any excuse I could think of to stay after school, whether it was for clubs, or sports that I played but never liked, or to watch other games, or even to just sit on the floor of the hall and do nothing. At home i've always felt out of place, like I really didn't belong. I've always felt like an alien on a different planet. I never really felt like I belonged anywhere until I met my group of girl friends. Throughout our years of high school I seem to always drift away from them, but as soon as I come back it feels like nothing's changed. They've always welcomed me with open arms and have been there when i've needed them. A couple weeks ago I was home alone and upset, I texted them and the next thing I knew all of them were in my living room with me. Now THAT'S friendship! They are my home. I have never felt so safe and comfortable around a group of people like that until I met them. They are the most beautiful people both inside and out, I genuinely don't know where i'd be without them.
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ReplyDeleteI agree with Maslow wholeheartedly on the evolutionary need to belong to something, because that is how our brains and our humanities are hardwired. I can't name a single person who has not felt the need to belong to something, whether it be to a group of people, a school, whatever the thing may be, it is an utmost necessity to belong to something. I feel like I belong here, at Oakcrest High School. What made me finally realize this is that I look forward to being in a place which is not my home that I can feel comfortable in, and that I can feel safe in. The amazing people and friendships I have forged here at this school make me feel like I do belong here, and that means a lot to me. I tend to be a very shy person when it comes to friendships, and belonging to such a place where I have the ability to feel comfortable with other people helps out with that issue a lot. It also pushes into my head that I always will have some place to go, someone to talk to, and most importantly, that I belong here, at this school. When it comes down to self-esteem, belonging somewhere inherently makes a person feel better about themselves and provides comfort and support if they need it. I would be lying if I didn’t say that this place is definitely good at doing just that. Having a need to belong somewhere or to something is important, because it pushes you to strive to belong to that thing. A person would do anything to belong to something, and when they do belong to something, it creates positivity which shines through that person.
ReplyDeleteI believe that everyone no matter how much they try and hide it feel the need to belong. The reason I say "belong" instead of "belong somewhere" is because I do not believe I belong in any specific location. The only place I belong is home and as the old cliche goes "home is where the heart is". And "the heart" can be anywhere. For me I feel I belong with my family, girlfriend, close friends, and teammates no matter where we're at, whether its at my physical house, the movies, or meets/games. The reason I feel this way is that all these people and all these places we go together leave me with some of my best memories. This feeling of belonging gives me a sense of confidence and makes me feel bulletproof.
ReplyDeleteI think I’m a very adaptable person and whatever place I find myself I learn from my surroundings and try to make myself as comfortable as possible. I don’t believe that a person is bound to one specific place, the only reason why people feel they belong in one place is because they have not attempted anywhere else. I like the idea of being diverse and being able to meet and interact with new people. My friends inevitably not only make me feel like I belong but that I have a purpose. If I find myself questioning who I am or what my purpose is they are always there to remind me. I cannot stress the amount of times they gassed my head and helped me through my toughest times. At such a young age we can claim where we stand but in all honesty will that not alter as we get older? I’m not sure about others but I know I find myself looking back, thinking how different I used to be a few years ago and the steps that led me to where I am right now. I’m still in the process of finding who I truly am and it would be amazing if the friends I have right now stick by me every step of the way, if they don’t I hope THEY find where they belong since they didn’t belong with me.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though everyone deep down has the need to belong whether they like it or not. Some do the things listed such as going to parties, doing multiple clubs/activities, and going the extra mile just to feel like they fit in. At this age I’m not exactly sure where I “belong.” I think I act different ways around different people because of the vibes, and I have a variety of people I feel comfortable around. Some are more laid back and chill, while others are outgoing, goofy and just about everything. But when I am around the people I’m close with and we’re having a good time, I feel like I belong. It feels like I have a second family who would do almost anything for me. For example, my best friend’s family completely welcomed me in and I’m like a daughter to her parents. I personally see her mom and dad just as my own, and her sister is like the little sister I never had. I feel more confident around them, as well as safe in doing stupid things without being judged for it. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m not sure what category I fit in with, but the people I have in my life make me feel like there aren’t groups anymore, and I’m free to be whoever and whatever I desire.
ReplyDeleteI feel as though everyone deep down has the need to belong whether they like it or not. Some do the things listed such as going to parties, doing multiple clubs/activities, and going the extra mile just to feel like they fit in. At this age I’m not exactly sure where I “belong.” I think I act different ways around different people because of the vibes, and I have a variety of people I feel comfortable around. Some are more laid back and chill, while others are outgoing, goofy and just about everything. But when I am around the people I’m close with and we’re having a good time, I feel like I belong. It feels like I have a second family who would do almost anything for me. For example, my best friend’s family completely welcomed me in and I’m like a daughter to her parents. I personally see her mom and dad just as my own, and her sister is like the little sister I never had. I feel more confident around them, as well as safe in doing stupid things without being judged for it. I guess what I’m trying to say is I’m not sure what category I fit in with, but the people I have in my life make me feel like there aren’t groups anymore, and I’m free to be whoever and whatever I desire.
ReplyDeleteI think everyone feels the need to belong. Nobody wants to be alone and everyone wants to fit in with a group and their friends. People often think they will feel like they belong if they join clubs/sports and go to parties, but that isn’t always the case. Sometimes even when you are constantly surrounded by others, you still feel out of place and like you don’t belong there. I feel like I belong with my friends and family. I feel this way because my friends and I have similar interests and lots of respect and loyalty towards each other. I trust my friends completely and feel comfortable and at peace when I am with them. This sense of belonging adds to my self-esteem and makes me feel loved and appreciated. On the other hand, when I’m with people that don’t really know me I feel very out of place and uncomfortable. I am not very good with small talk and I’m not very sociable., so I tend to be very awkward around people I’m not close with. This causes me to feel very low at times, since nobody around me even really knows me. Some people have been in my class for years and don’t know a single thing about me. It’s hard to talk and feel like you belong when no one really cares about what you have to say or knows you at all.
ReplyDeleteI’ve often felt a feeling of not belonging, and like something is missing. Growing up and being biracial I never felt one hundred percent comfortable on either side of my family. As accepting as the Mexican community is, I still feel like I don’t belong because of my pale skin. On the other hand, I have had white people be racist in front of me, and because I’m white they don’t think it would bother me. Little do they know of my ethnic background. I don’t think I can just belong in a specific place, I would just like to feel like I truly do belong to some group of people and have a purpose in the world. I think once I make peace with myself I will finally feel that feeling of “belonging.” I hope I can try to open myself more to people and find where I belong. However, I do believe that this feeling is a common one, and I find it hard to believe if one has never questioned themself and asked, “Is this really where I belong?”
ReplyDeleteThere has been many times where I've been in a situation or in a place that I felt I belonged. I felt like if I hadn't been there or if I wasn't involved in a certain situation, that there would have been a completely different outcome. It could be during a school event or a family gathering. It isn't until I find myself surrounded by the wrong group of people or when something goes completely wrong that I start feeling like I don't belong wherever I am. I feel like the people you are around, is what determines whether your feelings for whether you belong there or not. You could be in a room with a bunch of millionaires but if you don't receive a welcoming feeling or if at least one person doesn't make you feel welcomed, that's when you start to believe that you don't belong somewhere. In September, I felt like I didn't belong in AP Lang. I felt like all my peers were smarter than me, I felt like my teacher wouldn't think I belonged in that class. It can be something that affects your self-esteem. I think it depends it depends on the people and the atmosphere. I feel like I am misunderstood by people who don’t know me. I believe that most people have the wrong idea of who I am as a person.
ReplyDeleteI believe that at a young age we do feel the need to belong. People need to feel like they belong in something or somewhere to have that feeling of most of us call "home" and the feeling of importance. My parents, my sister, and close friends make me feel this way. They remind me that I am here for a reason. If I can be myself around you it means I trust you and I'm comfortable around you. I think that there isn't really one specific place I belong. My personality can fit in with anyone's really. But through my ups and downs, my family and close friends really show me that I belong and that I have a purpose. Knowing that I belong definitely boosts my self esteem. Whenever I am around my friends they remind me of what it is like to actually live life at the moment and how to have fun. Without them I'd probably be very antisocial. Family is always number one. They will always be there for you no matter what. Friends do come and go but your family will be with you forever.
ReplyDeleteAs much as I hate to say it, yes, I really do feel like I need to belong somewhere. I know I need a place to call my own and a group that I can relate to and be accepted in. I do not always feel like I belong, even in groups that I am constantly in or around, but nonetheless, I do have places where I know I belong. No matter what a person’s identity or ‘social class’ is, I think everyone has the feeling that they have to belong somewhere. Now if you ask me if the most popular and outgoing people also feel like they do not belong, I wouldn’t know how to answer because I don’t think I have ever been in those shoes. And because I have never been a very popular or openly outgoing person, I can’t assume that they do feel like they belong. I could guess that no matter where you stand in the world, most people probably feel the need to belong to some extent or they may not feel it in certain areas of life.
ReplyDeleteI think the place I feel like I most belong is band. Band, whether its marching band or concert band, gives me the sense that I have many friends who I can trust. Band, to me and to most of the other members, is like its own family. All year around, band members are together more often than not. The committed members always find themselves back in the band room with each other, playing their instruments, doing homework or school work together or just talking to each other. I especially feel a sense of belonging in marching band this season. Marching band has given me the opportunity to open up and the confidence to attempt things I never would have imagined doing just a year ago. Because of the strong program itself and the amazing musicians and performers who make the group possible, I know I always have a place to go to no matter what. All around, band has helped me accept that I do not need to have that sense of belonging with every single person, group or place. I understand that all I really need is this one place to belong to, and all the other places where I don’t feel that sense of belonging doesn’t need to matter.
I do feel the need to belong because if I don’t belong to anything then I will feel useless. I feel like I belong in my friend group, we’ve been friends since about third grade and we all belong in our group. I belong on the Oak soccer team and my club team because I can’t remember the last time I got subbed out or haven’t started. I do know what not belonging somewhere feels like because I play basketball for Oak and I am really bad, probably holding the record for least amount of points over 2 years, a whopping 3 points. Feeling belonged in places like soccer teams boosts my self confidence and esteem as opposed to the basketball team where I feel like poop whenever I play because I know deep down that I don’t belong and I don’t even know how I am on the team. I also don’t feel like I belong at some parties because I don’t like to do the things that high schoolers usually do at parties, so I don’t really go to any, I probably have been to about 2 during high school and I’m probably going to be the same way in college. I feel as if I am undervalued and overlooked sometimes in soccer. Every article in the news is always about the offensive players getting the goals and things like that. I have played pretty much every minute this season, playing my heart out every game and doing fairly well, I even have been playing with a sprained or fractured toe in recent games. Not a lot of people give me credit when I deserve it because I am overlooked a lot.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I feel like I do belong and sometimes I feel the opposite. I feel like I do belong in my home country, which is Egypt. I feel like I belong there because my friends and family are the ones that make me feel like they need me and that I'm part of their daily life even when I'm away. I've known my friends since kindergarten and until today we're still in touch even though I've been away for years. The fact that they still text me or call me makes feel safe because I know that they got my back and we'll never forget each other. But here, I feel like I do belong (sometimes) but not as much as I do when I'm at Egypt. I love my friends here but I probably feel this way because I'm used to my friends in Egypt more than the ones here. It's funny how we say we don't care about people or what they say, but at the end it's them that control our lives. People are the ones that make us feel like we either belong or don't.
ReplyDeleteBelonging provides us with reassurance and confidence, so, naturally, everyone feels the need to belong, myself included. However, whether someone is “popular” or “unpopular”, not everyone feels as if they belong, especially due to our hectic schedules not allowing us to truly evaluate what needs to be included or cut out of our lives. Above all else, I feel like I belong with family, as I feel a stronger sense of trust with them and I spend the most time with them, which allowed us to form a stronger bond. This sense of belonging, overall, boosts my self-esteem. However, like most people at our age, I am still figuring things out, whether it be friends, interests, and so on, so I wouldn’t say that I feel as if I belong everywhere, but with people that I feel most comfortable with. Once again, trust plays a key role in what allows me to feel as if I belong in some places over others. I wouldn’t necessarily say that I am misunderstood, undervalued, or overlooked, and feeling that I do not belong in some places does not have a large impact on my self-esteem since I understand that no one can belong everywhere; although, since I am still figuring out where I do and don’t belong, I sometimes feel confused.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, anyone who says they don’t feel the need to belong is most certainly lying. It doesn’t matter who the person is, how old they are, their ethnicity, gender, religion, etc. Everyone has a natural longing for a sense of community and belonging to a group, and kids who are deemed as popular are even more so likely to feel this way. Being popular means that you hold yourself to a certain level, and you choose to surround yourself with other popular kids in an effort to uphold your reputation. This is possibly the most direct scenario when discussing the want to belong, since these kids feel comfortable around “their own kind”. Personally, I find a strong sense of belonging around people like me. Whether these people be Syrians, Greeks, Arabs, or anyone interested in culture, I find that I naturally gravitate towards them. Even though many people deem these groups of like minded people as “cliques”, I’d say they’re moreso support groups and close knit friend groups. Being around people like you provides a sense of warmth and familiarity that you just can’t find in other circles. This sense of belonging upholds my self-esteem, since I am able to act naturally and feel similar to others who I know will not judge me. This is the main reason why enclaves of particular ethnic groups, such as Arabs in Brooklyn and Chinese people in San Francisco, are formed, as they allowed people to be functioning members of society without TOTALLY assimilating into a different social circle. Instances like these best describe the feeling of belonging, as I’m sure many people can relate to.
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