BEING A MEMBER OF A GROUP

People have some basic needs. One of these needs can be being a member of a group. It is true that people want to have friends. People want to share some information and go to concerts with their friends. While spending quality time together, people become a group of friends. There are several advantages of being a member of a group; however, there are several disadvantages, too.

First of all, there are several advantages of being a member of a group. One of the specific advantages is that being a member of a group provides more chance of socialization. For instance, people join some activities with friends such as theatres, festivals. These friends can be close friends or new friends. People find it easy to socialize by being a member of a group.  Another advantage is that people learn to work as a team. This learning is an important necessity for people's lives. For example, teenagers should learn to work and discuss issues with their friends. They can share  their ideas, suggestions and so on. Therefore, people learn to behave in a respectful manner. Being a member of a group facilitates thinking and deciding with group members. As a result, people might improve their skills by being a member of a specific group. 

Secondly, there are numerous disadvantages of being a member of a group but the most important disadvantages are loss of individuality and loss of identity. If a person is a member of a group, the person usually goes anywhere and does everything with the members of the group. For example, members of street gangs in America follow a strict code of behavior, and even dress similarly. In time, people lose their individuality. It is an indisputable fact that individuality has a major role to play in success in people's lives, because every man is out for himself. For instance, somebody who has grown up as a member of a street gang considers the group and its code of behavior to be paramount. Another disadvantage is loss of identity. As a matter of fact, the loss of identity and the loss of individuality are interrelated. For instance, members should respect other members in groups, but the opinions of the majority are acceptable in general and  the individual’s opinion may be lost within the majority’s opinion. Because of the fact that people act in concert with their friends, they lose their identities.

In conclusion, taking everything into consideration, group membership can’t be avoided; it is a fact of life. However, people have a choice concerning some groups: they can’t choose their family or their classmates, but they can decide whether or not to become a member of a gang. People are influenced by other members of the group. This effect can vary. To sum up, it is clear that being a member of a group has not only advantages but also disadvantages.