by Julie T.

Created on: May 26, 2007   Last Updated: March 28, 2012

"Ignorance is Bliss" is a phrase I'm beginning to believe more and more each day. I try not to dwell on the negatives that surround me on a daily basis, but it's hard not to dwell when these negatives only grow stronger in presence each passing day. In no particular order:

1. Obsession with Fame - I find it alarmingly disturbing that Paris Hilton's drunk driving and irresponsible activities get more airtime than Illegal Immigration and the War. People are so obsessed with being famous that reality television shows have completely replaced forms of true entertainment.

2. Human Detachment - Although the Internet and other technology have made our lives easier, it has also made us emotionally detached; from other humans and from reality. People hide behind screen names and fake profiles with the intent to deceive and be a fantasy personality. Violent images in movies, television, and video games lure children in instead of deterring them.

3. Religious Wars - Religion provides hope to those who need it. It also teaches us to accept and forgive. Despite these messages of love and kindness, why does religion continue to be the leading cause of war in our world?

4. Being Politically Correct - In the same country in which we are taught that we have the fundamental right of freedom of speech, we are also punished or shunned if we have a particular opinion. When did society become so sensitive that people can't simply ignore or disagree with other people's opinions. After all, they are opinions, are they not?

5. Social Welfare - Perhaps it's because of my background that I feel this way, but I was raised with the notion that nothing in this world is free. My parents, legal immigrants who came here in 1978 with no money and not able to speak English, were able to find work, get college educations, purchase a home, and raise a family. More importantly, they were able to do this without the aid of the government. I don't understand how generations of Americans, Americans who were born here and given the same opportunities as my parents, are still receiving government checks and doing nothing to improve their lives, but instead, raising more generations of non-contributing Americans.

6. Middle School and High School Curriculums - I feel like American school academic programs are becoming so saturated with standardized tests and quantity based assignments that the result is an entire generation of non-individual robots with no ability to creatively think on their own. Some

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