Social Ideals and the Dynamics of Reality
Social norms and ideals imposed by society significantly influence the formation of our expectations by guiding our actions and shaping how we perceive our lives. These ideals provide frameworks for evaluating success, happiness, and relationships; however, they are often quite static, while reality is dynamic and multifaceted. As a result, when our expectations—shaped by persistent social norms—clash with the variability and complexity of reality, it can lead to disappointment, a sense of anxiety, and even conflict.For example, as described in one of the sources, "Social attitudes and ideals support people’s actions and motivations, guiding their behavior in accordance with social expectations and norms. However, when these expectations are not met or do not align with the complex and changing reality, they can lead to disappointment and conflict. For instance, in collective societies, where personal successes and achievements are closely linked to support from and recognition by other members of the community, a discrepancy between expectations and reality can evoke feelings of anxiety and insecurity in the individual" (source: общие идеи.txt).Moreover, another example illustrates how differing attitudes toward the future, formed by expectations, can radically alter the emotional perception of identical life circumstances: "Let’s try to imagine a scenario that will never actually occur. Two identical people live; they experience the same joys, the same sorrows, the same concerns... the first will feel unhappy, while the second will be completely happy. This is the influence expectations have on us" (source: link txt, page: 1). Thus, although social ideals provide a kind of guideline, they may contradict the real, ever-changing, and complex nature of life, resulting in emotional and psychological discomfort.In summary, social influence greatly shapes our expectations. However, when these expectations prove disproportionate to the actual conditions of life, they contribute to disappointment and internal conflicts, highlighting the need for flexibility in the perception of ideals and adaptation to change.