Hollywood - Andrew

Hollywood is a universal American symbol not just to us, but to people all over the world. When I say Hollywood, I am not so much referring to the place, as to the Hollywood feel in America. We truly are still the entertainment and glamour capital of the world, even if we have been falling behind in other areas recently. From the movies, music, and TV shows to the celebrity relationships and scandals, almost everyone in America embraces Hollywood in some fashion.



If you have ever watched TV in a foreign country, you may have noticed that almost half of what’s on is American television shows and movies. Sometimes they have been dubbed over with foreign voices, but sometimes they have been left as they are. When I went to Ireland, the people there knew everything about the Simpsons. They excitedly asked me about upcoming movies in Ireland, most of which had been released in the US months beforehand. Even portions of their news shows are spent discussing American celebrities and what trouble they have been getting into.



The Hollywood life is no less pervasive within America. We are all mesmerized by the newest TV shows, even though many of them are trashy. We rush to movies featuring hot, half-naked actors and actresses. A celebrity checking into rehab will still make the front page of many newspapers. Entire TV specials are constructed around watching what celebrities wear as they walk into a party. Some people will buy clothes just because they saw their favorite celebrity wearing it.



Does Hollywood make us shallow? Does this image we are portraying to other countries falsify our reputation? Probably – most of us don’t look like celebrities, nor do we have the money to start up charities named after us. But beyond all the intimidation that these celebrities may cause, I think there are benefits to the popularity of Hollywood. After all, we wouldn’t be paying attention to Hollywood if we didn’t like what we saw.



Although some movies and TV shows are low quality, they really can function as an excellent form of self-expression and serve to rally people up for causes. There are some smart and sophisticated shows on TV that can really be stimulating and enjoyable. Some recent movies, such as Hotel Rwanda and An Inconvenient Truth, have served as excellent ways to promote awareness for issues. The Oscars are still the most watched and most important awards show in the world. Directors from all over the world aspire to get honored and recognized in America. Hollywood, though it has its ugly side, is actually a rather attractive part of our country, especially right now, when America is unpopular for many other reasons. 

The United States, Land of Opportunity

Opportunity is defined as a good position, chance, or prospect, as for advancement or success. Through the centuries, the U.S. has been known as the land of opportunity. This saying is untrue because it is not specific enough. America is the land of opportunity for people who are born into already well-off families. This is evident while looking at two types of opportunity. People from well-off families are usually presented with opportunities for success. On the other hand, people who are not very well-off usually have to seek out opportunities, which requires much more effort and often turn out unsuccessful.
A person born into a wealthy family is readily presented with opportunities. These opportunities consist of education, technology, college degree, leisure time, and occupational opportunities. Through their parents, this person also has the luxury of pursuing a career without the pressure of immediate success. There is not an overwhelming pressure to succeed because their parents are able to support them financially. America is certainly the Land of Opportunity for people who are born privileged.
America is not the land of opportunity for a poor immigrant new to the country, or someone born into a poor family. These people do not have a solid financial background, and therefore have a great amount of pressure to succeed in their every endeavor. They usually only have access to public schools, community college, or no college. It is hard to focus on high school work because teenagers may have to work to help support the family. Without showing great academic success and potential coming out of high school, these teenagers will only be able to go to community college. The only other option is to go right into work that does not pay well. If they do not succeed, or make money off of what they are doing, they arrive at an even more pressured situation. It is here that the vicious cycle of minimal opportunity begins again.

Equality for All

America is know to be the land of opportunity and the land of freedom. Yet, it has only been about 200 years since the end of slavery, and blacks have been in America for almost 400 years. When many people think of America, they think of equality no matter the race or ethnicity. But when you look at the socioeconomic status of different races, African-Americans and Hispanics seem to dominate the lower income class opposed to the high income class which is dominated but mostly white Americans. In the DC public school systems, the quality of education does not reach the standards of "equal" education. Some schools haven't been repaired since the 1960s, such as my neighborhood school (Coolidge Highschool), there's a lack of teachers, and schools don't provide the essential tools needed to carry out the lessons. And one other thing...most of the public schools have black students. Naturally the world wouldn't work if everone was chief, but the gap between the rich and poor in this country is so wide that to call it the "country of equality" is just presumptuous.

Stephanie - Money is happiness?

Money cannot buy happiness. Money creates a sense of hope and contentment, but ultimately you can’t buy true happiness. The important things in life are friends and family; not what kind of car you drive or how big your house is. Yes, a Coach purse or a Rolex can provide a short window of thrill, but these items can’t love you back, or provide any sense of satisfaction when you are alone.If happiness could be purchased, every actor and actress in Hollywood would be married and have perfect lives, when in reality the rich and famous can end up being the most miserable. There is no way to control love; it is a sacred treasure that can’t be manipulated with money. Of course, the shallow people of the world give us examples of marrying for money and the tabloids take advantage of their pain and stupidity. Ultimately, choosing money over love leaves a person depressed and unfulfilled in life. There is no substitute for pure happiness.Money can act as a convenient tool in life, which can be considered delightful at times. Wealth can generate feelings of excitement and self-importance, but those emotions are miniscule compared to true love, compassion, and joy. Building a multi-million dollar business is exciting and worth priding yourself on, but it does not define a person’s character. People with money may receive admiration from their peers, but jealousy is rarely attained because extreme wealth does not define a ‘good life’. The essential things in life can’t be acquired through money and problems of the mind and soul can’t be fixed by wealth. Happiness can be obtained through nature’s beauty; another treasure that riches can’t create. Sunsets, flowers, and waterfalls are wondrous parts of our world that are untainted by the corruptness of money. Even though wealth is helpful, it does not provide a person will a lovable life. It cannot create loved ones, and it cannot create happiness.

Kira Thompson - Wild West

The “Wild West” is a myth that remains true today. When the term was coined during the nineteenth century, it signified a West (that is now considered the mid-West) that was wild, as in unmarked. Pioneers following the construction of the transcontinental railroad braved the frontier and established homes where wilderness and/or Native Americans had reigned. The Wild West accommodated the more progressive Americans who welcomed the challenges of the unexplored territory. The Wild West also referred to the rowdy cowboys who set up “sinful” brothels, where pleasure was the guiding force for people’s lives. The West, especially California, continues to represent many of these “wild” sketches. Western states are making wild, unprecedented political decisions. California is the poster child for direct democracy, a status that does not readily appear to be wild, but certainly is. California braved the frontier of democracy and established itself as one of the more radical (in a liberal sense) states in the country. California has divided the power of the government among the general public to the extreme that only 15% of the state budget lies within the legislature or the governor’s control. The California school system, which used to be one of the most respected educational institutions in the country, has fallen due to the limits placed on its budget. The people of California took the principle of democracy, and ran wild with it.The West still holds “wild,” progressive and rowdy Americans. Citizens of the west coast are notorious for their innovative environmental attitude. While the rest of the country accepts the federal government’s approach to the environment, the western states mark a unique path to environmental action. Los Angeles can easily be compared to old western towns that beckoned the term “Wild West.” The local law enforcement handles the rampant crime poorly. The media exploits the pleasure-seeking celebrities for their many sins. Despite the negative characteristics of the “Wild West,” the West will continue to lure people. Perhaps it is the “wild” aspect of the West that most entices.

Marissa - Fat Americans

Americans are thought of as being fat. Americans eat what they want, watch television all the time, and do not exercise. As a result of this laziness, Americans become fat. Americans eat meals that are from fast-food restaurants or easy-to-cook pasta dinners. Food portions in America are very large and the food is not healthy. Most Americans think of a serving as a whole plateful of food, when in reality, it is about a quarter of that. Other Americans, however, do not even know anything about healthy eating and therefore, eat what they want which can be dangerous. Today’s youth does not do a lot of physical activity and yet continues to eat massive quantities of food. Children today spend most of their time playing video games or watching TV instead of going outside to run around and burn calories. Instead, they sit in front of a TV screen, eating snacks, and not exerting any energy. However, there are many Americans that watch what they eat. They prepare healthy meals, watch their food portions, and exercise regularly. Pressure in today’s society to be skinny sells a lot of diet plans and encourages eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia. There are a large number of diet plans, such as Weight Watchers and Jenny Craig, and herbal and other pills that are tried by many people. Media and TV put pressure on people to be skinny and many people succumb to that pressure and take dieting to the extremes of eating disorders.The cultural myth that all Americans are fat is not true. There are extremes; some Americans are obese, especially with the relatively new charts that show what someone’s weight should be compared to their height. However, there are Americans that are not obese and are careful about what they eat and the amount of exercise they get. Unfortunately, another part of the population has fallen victim to eating disorders.

Kit - American Dream

The American Dream. This ideal has been ingrained in every child in America hoping for success in life. It claims that every American has the chance to rise up from the depths of poverty to great wealth. It is the reason that so many foreigners want to immigrate to the Land of Opportunity. In reality, however, not many people are fortunate enough to accomplish this goal; for most, the idea of rags-to-riches is no more than a “dream.” The “Dream” began before the States of America were even United, during a time when British entrepreneurs who had run out of luck in their homeland looked to the New World as a chance to grow their fortunes. After the independence of the colonies, the perception of the dream continued because of the revolutionary freedoms America offered. What was unique to the United States was its democratic society, as there were no laws preventing citizens from improving their class status, laws which were prevalent in many contemporary nations. These freedoms encouraged massive numbers of immigrants to leave their poverty-stricken lands in order to seek their own American Dream. Many people realized that dream; however, most have been unsuccessful in their quest.Someone who achieved the American Dream is Chris Gardener, the man portrayed in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Through hard work, intelligence, and great luck, Gardener was able to rise from a homeless man to a wealthy executive. This is an inspiring success story, but it is the kind of story you make a movie out of, not a typical experience. In the world today, there are hundreds of people with high intellect and a strong work ethic, but there are not enough opportunities for all of them to succeed. In order to achieve the “Dream,” individuals need to have some luck in order for them to be recognized for their abilities, and stand out from the rest. The harsh reality is that people with money have more chances to demonstrate their skills, and therefore have an easier time distinguishing themselves. Whether it is through personal “connections” or graduation from an elite university, wealthy people tend to have an easier time getting noticed. And every time a rich person is hired, there is usually someone who is equally if not more qualified left chasing their American Dream.

Kenzan - Melting Pot

America used to be called a melting pot – a giant pot of stew where the carrots taste like potatoes, and the potatoes taste like carrots. You started out with a variety of distinct ingredients but ended up with one giant brown uniform mush (like the soups in the cafeteria). The melting pot symbolized the assimilation of various cultures into one– the American culture. Somewhere along the line, this idea of a melting pot became taboo and assimilation became evil. You had to respect everyone’s differences, even celebrate them. An assembly on Christianity had to be followed by an assembly on Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Wicca. People stopped simply being American, but became Japanese-American, Indian-American, African-American, etc. America became a salad bowl, where everything is distinct and retains their original tastes and textures. Today, we believe in this salad bowl America. We recognize black history month and Hispanic history month. We respect each other’s cultural differences and encourage children to learn their parent’s languages. We encourage people to retain their cultural identity. But is this what we want? Do we want an America of countless ethnic minorities that focus on their differences rather than their similarities? Do we want a country of hyphenated Americans?I would argue no. We do not want diversity in America. Look at the ancient Greeks. They were a nation of many cultures –a conglomeration of city states each with their unique identity. And what happened to them? They fell because they could not unite together against the Persians. There are other examples too – the Balkans, the Soviet Union, Ireland. An America of divided cultures would follow the path of previous mutli-cultural nations into downfall and ruin.Instead of celebrating diversity and the salad bowl version of America, we should celebrate the similarities that exist among us, like our belief in hope and prosperity. Instead of trying to maintain our different cultural heritages, we should be focused on creating and maintaining the American culture. And as for our separate cultures, we will not forget them; they will add another layer of flavor to the melting pot. And if you still think that celebrating diversity is more important than celebrating similarities, then I ask you this: would you really take a bland and unsatisfying salad (think school salad bar with those Crayola colored dressings) over a hearty, warm, and filling stew (fat free of course and available with or without meat)?

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