Exemplar Essay, Informative/Explanatory
Progressively Assertive The lives of individuals rely heavily on how they are perceived by others, or, at least, that is what they seem to believe. In Nando Pelusi’s “The Right Way to Rock the Boat,” he discusses the role of assertiveness and how people tend to shy away from it in an attempt to maintain approval in the eyes of their peers. Whether it involves asking their boss for a promotion or asking their dream date to the prom, humans tend to retreat from any form of assertive contact, mistaking assertiveness for aggression, thus becoming passive. The key to progressing in life, however, is to identify the action which “resides between the extremes of passivity and aggression” (Pelusi). By understanding the balance between these two extremes, one is able to come up with a steady, assertive decision in any situation. “The Right Way to Rock the Boat” by Nando Pelusi identifies the role and evolution of assertiveness as one that people have struggled with due to fear of public scorn and goes…show more content… “Fear of others' judgments [became] a necessary human adaptation” and it was quite normal for people to always show some sort of conformity with their tribes or groups; following the rules and regulations of others certainly was not the most enjoyable choice, but it kept the peace and avoided dangerous conflict (Pelusi). Even throughout history, it has been viewed as easier to just keep quiet and do as one is told, and those who stepped outside the lines were likely outcasted. The worry of other’s “approval” regardless of rank fractured the complex structure of gaining approval (Pelusi). As a result, assertiveness became a fragile balance in human behavior that people did not want to accidentally overturn. What many failed to realize was how being assertive could potentially be the key to a successful and progressive