Collage by Katy Doyle, Nortre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Collage by Alison Deknis, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

The values that are most promoted in American culture are not necessarily good values. Although some of these values are good, many others are negative values. Our society is one of superlatives; some of its values are the best of the best while others are the worst of the worst.

Some of the negative values promoted in American society are materialism, competitiveness, racism, sexism, ageism, violence, and a "quick fix" mentality. Materialism is the belief that people can find happiness if they obtain more material belongings. Competitiveness is the belief that winning is the most important thing of all. Racism is the belief that people of one racial group are better than other from another race. Sexism is the belief that one of the sexes, either male or female, is better than the other. Ageism is the belief that people of a certain age group are better and more able than people from other age groups. Violence is the belief that inflicting harm upon others is the best way to get what one wants. A "quick fix" mentality is the belief that the best way to solve a situation is the quickest way.

On the other hand, our society promotes some of the most noble and honorable values known to mankind. Some of these values are the equality of all people, and democracy as the way to govern and make decisions. Other such noble values are the equal rights of all people; the freedom of speech, religion, the press, and assembly; and the obligation of the more fortunate to provide aid to those in need.

From these examples you can see the "balancing act" that is found American society. Society promotes some very good values that aid people who need help and provide fairness to all people. Although, society also promotes values that hurt people and cause harm to others.

Lydia Vasiliauskas. Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

I chose to write a poem to express the good and bad values of society; what is present and what should change. Here it is:

What are some values of society?

There are the good like Equality and Charity.

There are others we need to mend:

Bring Sex Appeal, Competitiveness, and Violence to an end.

Could you imagine a world with no more "Ism’s?"

The destruction of Sexism, Racism, and Materialism?

Freedom of Speech and Religion are a must,

We need to spread Democracy and Trust.

Crime is not something we should keep,

Justice and Law help us safely sleep.

The Importance of Money and Power are very wrong,

Love and Compassion must be strong.

So remember that what society says is not always right,

You must follow your conscience, faith, and might.

Your heart will lead you in the right direction,

To live a moral life with love and affection.

Ashlie Anctil, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Collage by Bethany Vitaris, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

WHY CAN’T I JUST BE ME?

Annie is another teenage girl,

Trying to be who she wants to be.

She tries to ignore pressure around her,

But sometimes, it’s all she can see.

The commercials are all saying

That it’s essential to be thin.

The perfect television star shows her

That beauty is always in.

Every time Annie turns on the TV

They try to tell her what she should be.

But all Annie wants to know is

"Why can’t I be me?"

The singers Annie hears on the radio,

Tell her she must be rich to have it all.

While the beauty queen shows her

She’s nothing, if she isn’t tall.

The music she hears tries to tell her

Doing drugs is perfectly fine.

And that anything should be done

To easily fix something for a time.

Every time Annie turns on the TV,

They try to tell her what she should be.

But all Annie wants to know is

"Why can’t I be me?"

The Hollywood stars all show her

The importance of material things.

And all the musicians promote

The normalcy of sexual flings.

The movies she sees try to glorify

The violence of life everyday.

While the movie stars are promoting

Using alcohol to get away.

Every time Annie turns on the TV

They try to tell her what she should be.

But all Annie wants to know is

"Why can’t I be me?"

Sara Berglund, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

There are many different values in our society today, which how others are treated and how much respect is shown them. Everyone has an obligation to do their part to make our world a better place and we can start with these values.

Some of the most important values are to treat everyone equally, encourage

individual action and initiative, democracy, equal rights, freedom of speech, religion, press, and assembly, and an obligation to help less fortunate people. Some of the wrong values that should be ignored are competitiveness, the "me first attitude", and the "isms" (racism, ageism, and sexism), the "quick fix" mentality, violence, and materialism). The media is the place where the wrong values are often promoted.

All people have the right to their own opinion and the expression of it. Using democracy enables them to express who they want for a ruler of their country in a more civil way. Freedom of speech and expression is also extremely important, and this enables the country to be more diverse.

In our Constitution, it says that all men are equal no matter what race, age, or religion. They can speak their minds but they also have the obligation to do it for the good of all people. When you are helping others, you are ignoring the "me first attitude" and working for the good of everyone, not just yourself.

The media "values" violence, competitiveness, materialism, racism, ageism, and sexism are some of the values that should not be valued. In the Bible it also says that you are to treat others the way you would like them to treat you, and I would hope that you wouldn’t want to be judged and treated with violence.

Elyssa Pare, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

I believe the media promotes many different types of values in our culture. Some of the values encouraged are very commendable and others are not so positive and can have many damaging effects on people, especially young people.

Positive values that our culture promotes are that of compassion, honesty, independence, equality, and intelligence. Our media also shows questionable values such as, ageism, sexism, bigotry, greed, and violence.

I feel that the media has a responsibility to uphold the positive values that should be instilled into the lives of adolescents.

Simone Tetteh, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Collage by Kamolika Roy, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Every day when I talk to my peers, read magazines, or turn on my TV

I see people telling me how to be me.

"You must be popular", the advertisements say

"And we can help you, if you buy our products today!"

"You have to be physically beautiful", says my favorite magazine,

"You have to be, if you want to be a normal teen."

The movies claim that alcohol is the easiest path

To be considered a fun person and to get a laugh.

If I want to see a college acceptance in the mail,

I am told I must be active—between theater, clubs, and sports.

I should be able to budget my time between activities and school reports.

Music says that problems can be solved by violence any time.

An easy solution to all problems, yours and mine,

My peers say it is good to be kind to all

Though you yourself might have to take a fall.

I am also told, though, that I must be competitive and be the best always,

That I must be perfect until the end of my days.

It is also important to be wealthy.

How else would you buy all the necessary products you see?

You cannot forget the value of material objects.

Their importance in social status, few people could object.

The American culture tell us how we should be.

There is quite a predicament, you see.

How can I be popular and drinking, smart and busy, violent and kind,

competitive and wealth, materialistic and pretty….

AND STILL HAVE TIME TO BE ME?

Molly MacDonald, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Today our culture, as do many cultures, promotes many different values. These values are good, bad, and contradictory. Our culture promotes equality and inclusion for all people, yet we also find ageism, sexism, and racism in our society. We value the exchange of ideas. We enjoy personal wealth and praise philanthropy. We encourage both honesty and secrecy. The focus often changes. However, there have always been a few constants: honesty, courage, wisdom, peace, independence, and charity.

Deirdre Keenan, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

The media is there to warn us, to tell us about wars, disease and or epidemics, human rights violations, rapists, kidnappers, the latest in education, who should we vote for and why, terrorists, stock market lows and highs, economic lows and highs etc..

The media is there to remind us what we should be aware of, but the information at times might be false, that's why people should not rely only on one source. People should rely on many sources then people should compare and contrast the information they have acquired.

Nuria Peguria, New York, New York (USA)

Sally was ten years old. Her father was a prosperous businessman and owned a beautiful house that he shared with his wife and daughter. Sally loved her parents and the new puppy she had recently received from them. When Sally turned eleven, her parents let her start horseback riding lessons. At age eleven and a half, Sally’s parents bought her a horse. When she turned twelve, Sally got her second horse. Sally rode her horses every day. She attended a private school and made many new friends with similar interests. For Sally’s 13^th birthday, her parents showed her the plans for the new barn and arena that was going to be built for her. Sally made some changes to the plans to fit her liking and the barn was built.

That summer, Sally and her parents went to Paris for a month. When Sally came home, she showed her friends the new Gucci pocketbook and necklace from Tiffany’s

That she had acquired. On Sally’s 16^th birthday, her parents bought her a brand new BMW sports car that she had been begging them for…

Sally got older, got a boyfriend, rode her horse sometimes, drove her sports car, applied to college, lived in Beverly Hills, didn’t have to work, wore name-brand clothing, had straight teeth, blonde hair, blue eyes, was 5’7", admired by many…

At age 18, Sally died. The police records showed that alcohol and drugs were found in Sally’s car. It was OK…she had everything she ever wanted, she was "happy".

Lucy Gotta, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Collage by Nicole Solera, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Today, our culture promotes many different values. These values are good, bad, and contradictory. Our culture promotes equality and inclusion for all people. It also promotes ageism, sexism, and racism. We value the exchange of ideas. We enjoy personal wealth and praise philanthropy. We encourage both honesty and secrecy. Our culture changes many of its values often. However, there has always been a few constants: honesty, courage, wisdom, peace, independence, and charity.

Deirdre Keenan, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Some values that the media promotes in our culture can be destructive and others are beneficial. Natural beauty, freedom, communication, a drug free environment, education, love, law, justice, and respect are a few that are beneficial. Premarital sex, drugs, crime, and hate can lead us down a path that we do not want to take. I created this collage to show the beneficial values.

Julia Faure, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

The media promotes values that can effect us in both positive and negative ways. Everyday we see things on the news telling us how a woman has made a difference, however, on that same TV station, they are telling us how everyone has to be thinner. Also, some of the television that we see, and the music that we listen to, promote violence and often degrades women. It is our choice as to whether or not we choose to listen to these messages. We must make wise, moral decisions when we do so. Just because the media says something does not make it true.

Meghan O’Day, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

True values come from the heart, not from movies, magazines, etc.

Elizabeth Hennigan, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)

Mary Ann Gormley, Notre Dame Academy, Worcester, Massachusetts (USA)