Benefits and Drawbacks of Being a Twin (Essay Sample)

Benefits and drawbacks of being a twin
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Twins refer to two people born at the same time of the same mother. Statistics show that over 340 500 babies are born daily globally, with 2245 of these babies estimated to be twins. There are two types of twins; identical and fraternal. Identical twins have a striking resemblance and can be easily confused, whereas fraternal twins differ in appearance. In order to understand twins further, this paper aims to explore and demystify the benefits and drawbacks of being a twin, (Berns, 2010, p.98).
One of the key recompense is that a twin gets someone who understands and gives them company. Being born at the same time and sharing a common bond, contributes to this fact significantly. From a scientific point of view, scientists allege that twins enjoy a telepathic form of communication. If one twin gets hurt or feels any form of pain, the other party also fills the same. This in essence aids in healing due to the understanding shared. As a result of telepathic communication, the twins also develop and share intuitiveness. This leads to them being closer and averting differences arising from blood relations, (Davis, 2004, p.64).
Close observations show that twins are able to share clothes and even switch places arising from their resemblance. In case one twin is poor in a certain subject, the other person can take their place in class during exam time. This can easily be referred to as a case of necessary evil. Although it is not encouraging, it benefits the weaker party. As a result of being born together, twins tend to grow and develop at the same rate. Consequently they can easily share such necessities as clothes and friends, (Berns, 2010, p.98).
All that glitter is not gold. Being a twin has its own downside. Most parents, relatives, friends or acquaintances constantly compare twins. For this reason, they are always in antagonism between them. This can ultimately lead to the development of strong sibling rivalry. Another disadvantage is the fact that, in case of identical twins, they get mixed up a lot. If one party commits a crime he or she may end up unpunished for it, and the sibling takes the blame for it. Misjudgment of character then follows the mixing up, (Davis, 2004, p.64).
Nowadays privacy is immensely valuable to a person. However with twins, it practically becomes valueless. This is due to their resemblance and telepathy which makes it hard for one party to hide almost nothing from the other. In some instances, a lady may be asked out by a gentleman, but turn him down. The other twin may later be approached by the same person due to resemblance and end up accepting the offer leading to mistaken twin identities. Twins u...