Blush

"People are the only animals that blush - or need to."

-Mark Twain

So much of our lives are defined by what other people think. Clothing styles are chosen to get a desired effect on other people. Lifestyle choices are often made in an effort to fit in. Even college decisions are made partly because of the prestige associated with the school. Teenagers live in both the fear and the hope of standing out and making other people notice them. 

Sometimes the awareness of others' attention leads to greatness- the desire to be recognized as the best swimmer in Olympic history, the desire to be known as someone who improved a culture's way of life, the desire to make a difference being important to someone. Other times this can only lead to destruction. Living for the approval of others can cause the constant feeling of coming up short and not being good enough. As suggested by Twain, it also causes the feeling of shame when others don't approve of actions or choices. 

So-is that blush good or bad? Is is beneficial to use other people's opinions to make choices? Is it okay to depend on others to decide what decisions are acceptable?