Good day, readers.
Today I would like to bring attention to something powerful and often invisible: how society influences our choices.
We like to believe we make our own decisions. We believe our goals, desires, and preferences are fully ours. But if we pause for a moment and look closely, many of those choices did not start with us. They started with what we saw, heard, and absorbed from the world around us.
Neuroscience shows that social acceptance activates the brain’s reward system. Studies using brain imaging have found that approval from others stimulates the ventral striatum, the same area involved when we receive money or eat something enjoyable. In other words, our brains treat social validation as a reward.
On the other hand, social rejection activates regions like the anterior cingulate cortex, which is also involved in processing physical pain. That’s why rejection doesn’t just feel uncomfortable. It literally hurts.
So when society sets standards, our brains pay attention. Not because we are weak. But because we are wired for connection.
Add social media to the equation, and the effect multiplies.
We constantly see curated versions of other people’s lives. Promotions. Luxury vacations. Perfect bodies. Perfect relationships. Perfect lifestyles. Even when we logically understand that these images are filtered and edited, our brains still compare. Brain don’t understand differences between reality and imagination.
Sometimes the “beautiful life” we see online quietly becomes our new standard. Not because we consciously chose it. But because repeated exposure trains our attention. Real Question is all this “luxury” life at social media are real?
Let me give you a simple experiment. For the next 30 to 60 seconds, think about a green car. Imagine it clearly. Bright green exterior. Green interior. The smell of the seats. The sound of the engine. Make the image detailed and vivid. Now go about your day. Over the next few days, you will start noticing green cars everywhere. They were always there. But now your brain highlights them.
Why?
Because your attention was programmed. This is how the brain operates. It filters millions of pieces of information every second and shows you what it believes is important. Once you focus on something, your brain looks for it.
The same thing happens with social standards. If society constantly shows success as luxury, beauty, and status, your brain starts scanning for those signals. You begin comparing automatically. You begin wanting automatically. And you may not even realize it.
The good news is this: The brain is adaptable. This ability is called neuroplasticity. When we consciously shift our thoughts and behaviors, we begin to rewire neural pathways. That means we can question automatic beliefs. We can interrupt negative mental scripts. We can train our brain to focus on what truly matters to us. We are absolutely capable of training our attention.
Using the green car example, ask yourself:
Do I actually need this green car?
Why green?
For what purpose?
This simple questioning shifts your attention from automatic desire to conscious choice.
And the same applies to life goals.
Do I want this career because it aligns with me?
Or because society rewards it?
Do I want this lifestyle because it fulfills me?
Or because it looks impressive?
This is how you build awareness. This is how you strengthen neuroplasticity. It doesn’t happen overnight. But repetition matters. Instead of chasing approval, we can notice what feels aligned.
Society will always influence us. That’s part of being human. The goal isn’t to reject it completely. The goal is awareness. Because once you see the influence, you can decide what stays and what goes.
And that’s where real choice begins.
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