Face-Saving Sucks
In “Shooting an Elephant”, George Orwell shares his regret of harming an innocent elephant just to save face. If more people were aware of the extent of damage that face-saving causes, maybe they would stop and even encourage others to stop as well. Face-saving starts with peer pressure, society rules, and common lifestyles that create violence, results in injury, harm, or death, and is often regretted once the act is completed.
The violence that peer pressure, society rules, and common lifestyles create often leads to face-saving. As Orwell writes, “I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind”. Peer pressure is, in my opinion, the hardest force to repel in most situations.
In “Shooting an Elephant”, George Orwell shares his regret of harming an innocent elephant just to save face. If more people were aware of the extent of damage that face-saving causes, maybe they would stop and even encourage others to stop as well. Face-saving starts with peer pressure, society rules, and common lifestyles that create violence, results in injury, harm, or death, and is often regretted once the act is completed.
The violence that peer pressure, society rules, and common lifestyles create often leads to face-saving. As Orwell writes, “I was only an absurd puppet pushed to and fro by the will of those yellow faces behind”. Peer pressure is, in my opinion, the hardest force to repel in most situations.