The word “loyalty” is defined as “obedience, allegiance, devotion, steadfastness, or reliability”. Often, someone is only seen as loyal if they are unconditionally loyal. It is nearly impossible to be loyal to someone at all times. There are many times when it is hard, or wrong, to be loyal to someone.
If what someone is doing is wrong, should you be loyal to them? If being loyal to one friend goes against being loyal to another? There are reasons not to be loyal to someone, but it is hard to know when to be loyal. It is up to the person to make that judgement. This can be difficult, because the person wouldn’t want to offend their friend.
It is also hard to be loyal when others disapprove. For example, if your friend wants to try something new, such as a new sport, you would support them in their decision. However, if others think that the idea or plan is dumb, peer pressure could convince you to be disloyal to your friend. In this situation, it is easy to know what the right thing is, but just as hard to go through with it.
Some aspects of loyalty are somewhat easier. Don’t talk behind your friend’s back, for example. In theory, this is easy, but if other people are talking about your friend, it can be tempting to say something. Still, this type of loyalty is simpler to understand: you usually know it’s not good to gossip about your friend.
If you feel that you should be loyal to someone, then be loyal. If what they are doing feels wrong, then confront them nicely. These rules are more like guidelines, because they don’t work in every situation. So when should you be loyal, and when should you not? Trust your instincts and remember to think it through.
It can be extremely difficult to be loyal to others, especially considering that people in today's society can be extremely selfish. I think it is also important to note that there are times when we need to make mature decisions not to be loyal to others. Try to include examples as much as possible (like you did in paragraphs 3 and 4). Grade: 24/25
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