why do most people care what others think of them?? is there a true explanation?

Answer 1

Yes there is a true explanation,its called society. As children we are to young and innocent to know or understand what that is. Children haven't been tainted by society's poisonous way of thinking. As we get older, its not just our parents who are raising us, but the rest of "society", school, t.v. As children get older they start to have a sense of what is going on around them, for example in the class room. Growing up our brains go through many years of growing and maturing and understanding whats going on around them. When people get older, they start to feel the pressure from people around them to "fit in." There is always one kid in the class room who starts the teasing and making fun of that one person, because he doesn't "fit in". Others see that and start to panic, because they start to care about what other people think of them. Its called peer pressure. Unfortunately this process has a huge affect on todays younger generation on caring about what others think. No one wants to stand alone and be who they are. Just for the simple fact of what others may think of them.
Think back to your own childhood when you started noticing people changing because they started to care what other people thought of them. Or even when you did, if you ever had that expericence. Xx

Answer 2

Yes, there is a definate explanation, the short answer is to avoid negative sanctions. To be cast out of the group or ignored by the group is the worst punishment that can be inflicted on a human. People are social by nature and excommunication, exile, or imprisionment are the methods that we have used historically to punish group members. Caring about what others think and incorporating others' wishes into our behavior is a necessary part of avoiding these negative sanctions. This becomes clear when you look deeply at the arbitrary nature of our rules and customs historically. Many hundreds of thousands of people are imprisioned right now for using drugs that in many ways they should rightfully be able to use i.e. marijuana, cocaine, etc. in a "free society". But collectively, we don't like those drugs, we prefer alcohol and cigarettes which also have a devestating effect on society but are considered more favorable. Not too long ago Jim Crow Laws prohibited black and white people from marrying, both parties could be incarcerated for defying this rule and hundreds of others from the same vein. Many rules do not follow any particular moral rationale, they are arbitrary. In order to get by in our helter-skelter society, we learn at a very young age to care what others think about us in order to avoid negative sanctions, ranging from dirty looks to imprisionment and banishment.

Answer 3

In terms of mental health and emotional normalcy, it's a good thing that people DO care what others think; otherwise, we'd have a society of narcissists who didn't give a hang about the consequences of his/her actions.
On the other hand, I believe people care so much, because they have very low self image of themselves and need constant validation to help them with their insecurity.
Some may think you're a hard-a--s if don't care what people think. An taken to the -nth degree is a socia-pathic diagnosis!

Answer 4

one answer they are given the impression through advertisements that they should care what people think about them or they are presented as having a problem with peer pressure and this is supposed to be a big problem. they do not like when people show they think the the person is a nobody of no value this makes people angry

Answer 5

I suppose because at the end of the day everyone wants to be accepted and people are not immune to harsh words everyone has feelings and when someone says something harsh it hurts individuals.
No matter how many times people say they don't care they do.

Answer 6

Best answer I know of comes from David Riesman's book - The Lonely Crowd....

He describes 3 basic social personalities:

"Other-directed" - people who pattern their behavior on what their peers expect of them (your example)

"Inner-directed" - people guided by what they have been trained to expect of themselves (for example - Martin Luther King, Jr., or George Washington)

finally,

"Tradition-Directed" - people who do not view themselves as individuals, but rather as a small part of an entire culture, and their behavior has been determined by habits respected and handed down over generations (for example native americans or asians)

Just my opinion. Good question.

Answer 7

We are gregarious animals, and still feel the need to be accepted by the pack. Ostracism maintains undertones of death. Where once it was usually tantamount to a death sentence, now it is more figurative.

How many people can truly claim to not crave companionship? Loneliness is pandemic.

Answer 8

Here is a real simple explaination.
Lets say that I have a belief about myself.
Like....I'm a good, honest, thoughtful person.
Unless I see from how other people treat me - unless they act in a way to confirm my belief, I will begin to doubt my beliefs about myself.
And that causes anxiety.
A lot of things cause anxiety.
We are anxious creatures

Answer 9

I think everyone just wants to be accepted and liked. Deep down inside I think everyone feels that way.

Answer 10

Every person feels the need to be loved. That is human. How you deal with it, is learned through adulthood