Similar to peer pressure, what they see happening around them will tend to influence their actions. However, because people are different, the same object can have different meanings. This explains why my teachers' opinions differed from mine. Just as people change, the meanings of objects can also change. I went from not knowing that I was learning, to inattention, and finally to understanding the importance of education in our society. My forced interactions with teachers and support staff influenced my views on education and its meaning. Symbolic interactionism offers a different perspective, necessary to understand a society and the people within it. This gives the individual the same importance as the group. Overall, SI has three major characteristics: a person's actions depend on the meaning of an object, meanings can vary from person to person, and meanings can change. In our society, education and knowledge are symbols of success. I will always remember to be open-minded about what I learn throughout my life, whether I am in basic training this summer, in college next fall, or in my future career.