What does America's obsession with success say about our society as a whole? Why can't we judge others based on their personality, values such as kindness, compassion, and hard work? This drive for success has caused many problems for our society. For one, high school students are under more stress than ever before.
According to the American Psychological Association, "30 percent of teens reported feeling sad or depressed because of stress and 31 percent felt overwhelmed. Another 36 percent said that stress makes them tired and 23 percent said they've skipped meals because of it." Teenagers are so concerned with doing well, that it actually affects their mental health. Skipping meals and sleep because of school? And how many of us have stayed home on a Friday or Saturday night just to study? I know I have- a lot.
This stress is because of the overwheming pressure we put on ourselves as Americans to become successful adults. We as teenagers are so afraid for our future, that we let society push us around. In the words of William Deresiewicz, author of "The Disadvantages of an Elite Education," we are "excellent sheep," trained to do well in school and study hard. We are marching coopertively towards the country's best universities, prepared to make a career, not a mind. And if we don't succeed, if we don't become rich or important or what have you, for whatever reason, we feel like failures. If we don't end up above average, we feel like failures. Are we failures?
Ellie-
ReplyDeleteThis was such an interesting post, as I agree its such a problem in our generation. As students at New Trier, we're exposed to such a competitive environment, and the pressure to be perfect is off the charts. It's kind of sad though, because kids are more focused on the letter grade that defines their future instead of their experience as a learner. The purpose of education has been completely redefined, and that's clearly a reason why our generation is dealing with so many emotional issues. It's difficult because this isn't a problem that can be easily solved, because this mindset of getting perfect grades and attending the perfect school is what drives most students when they wake up in the morning. The American society has a responsibility to change this because kids shouldn't feel like failures if they don't get into a school deemed "perfect," and they shouldn't be letting a letter grade or a number on an ACT define their intelligence and future.