New Year, New Opportunities?

Since its founding, the United States has been a land of opportunity. Immigrants came in hoards looking for a new fresh start, a chance to leave the past behind and make a better future. Not much has changed in the past 200 years, as I find myself thinking of what New Year’s Resolution I will make. I always consider the New Year to be a chance to improve myself and my life, even if it may be less drastically than immigrants who are moving to turn over a new leaf. 

Is America a land of opportunity for all though? In my American Studies class, we recently finished reading A Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. Ironically enough, I sometimes believe that Douglass too, a slave from his birth in 1818 until 1838, also believed America was a land of opportunity despite being treated harshly and put down by his white slave owners for so long. On page 38, Douglass says that his worst master of all time, Mr. Covey, "succeeded in breaking me. I was broken in body, soul, and spirit". Douglass was still American just like his slave owners even though he was black, but from his description of being mentally defeated by Mr. Covey, it does not seem like he felt America was the land of opportunity. 

When Douglass reached the North though, he was able to further his education and speak publicly about abolition and try to bring freedom to those who were still enslaved. Douglass was just one example of someone in history denied opportunities for a better life. Despite the passage of time, some people still lack opportunity. Poverty is widespread throughout all of America. There is a major lack of opportunity for people in poverty to escape it and live a better life. 

So what do you think- is the United States a land of opportunity for everyone? Does everyone deserve the chance to turn over a new leaf with the new year?

Finding Time to Not Have Time

In my American Studies class we discussed the possibility of New Trier using an online grading system. A heated discussion soon followed a simple question of “what do you think about New Trier considering making an online grading system?” At least 20 hands shot up into the air, everyone had something to say either for or against it. I left the class feeling energized by my complete disagreement for my fellow classmates who were opposed to online grades, and proud of my peers who were for it. I planned on writing a persuasive letter to the principal, possibly the student government, and anyone else who may listen to what I have to say. Also during class, our teachers posed the question “How do you go around accomplishing your goals?” If you have not figured it out yet, I never wrote my letter about the online grading system. Most likely, I never will write that letter. Also very likely, is that none of my classmates who were so involved in the debate will do anything to voice their opinions outside of the classroom. 

But why not? I cannot know for sure, but I do have a few ideas of why I am probably not going to follow through with my letter, and these reasons could very well be the same as my classmates. First off, five minutes after leaving 2^nd period, my mind was taken over by other thoughts, namely, geoscience. My brain was consumed by other thoughts so quickly after I left, that I never even had a chance to remind myself to write that letter, and I quickly forgot until I began to think of blog post ideas. Secondly, I will put this off for forever. It is the last week of school before winter break, which is always a hectic, busy week. I have dance every day after school. I will be missing one day of school this week already; I do not have extra time to fit in making a nice letter. The list of excuses goes on and on. Pushing off writing the letter for another week will make me even less inclined to write it later, and by the time I reconsider writing it, I will convince myself that I am too late.

I am not alone in putting off things I care about though. Currently in American Studies, we are wrapping up The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass. In it, Frederick Douglass waits over 10 years to reach the north and freedom and leave behind his slave life. You might say that he did not leave his life as a slave because he did not want to be free enough. If you have read the narrative, then you know that is clearly not true – he wanted very much to be free. For years, Douglass made up excuses of why to wait to run away, but the whole time he pushed off trying for freedom, he had to live another day as a slave

Clearly I have not learned from history to not wait for tomorrow to do what you should do today- YETl But back to the unwritten letter. .If you do however feel the impetus to write that letter that you still have not written, here is the principal's email:   dohrert@newtrier.k12.il.us. 

You may at first think: why did this girl just give me the principal of New Trier's email address? Here's why: I believe people are less likely to go out on their own and do their own research, so I must tell you what to do. Now this is not me calling Americans lazy, this is just my personal belief that everyone needs a little nudge to send them in the right direction. Maybe I was not given a big enough nudge to write that letter. Perhaps if writing the letter was mandatory, that would have been a big enough nudge. 

Maybe you can help me figure out why I have not written that letter yet, so I am going to ask you: why do we always find the time to not do what we want? Is it just because we have not been given the tools to accomplish what we intended? How can we do what we say we will? 

PRESSure Makes Cain Drop Out

Herman Cain, one of the Republican presidential candidates, dropped out of the race Saturday after allegations were made about him having a 13-year affair and sexually harassing several women. If you are interested in more information about the situation, read this article. The reason Cain dropped out of the race, as I said, was because of allegations made against him. The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution guarantees freedom of the press, which allows almost anything to be published. Over the past 200 years, that broad category has been narrowed down to mean anything about public officials. Is it fair for the press to publish personal things about a presidential candidate that may cause personal damage to the person? 

My initial response was - of course. Freedom of the press is 

an essential American right. Herman Cain put himself in the public eye by declaring to run for president so he is a public figure who has to endure scrutiny. After more research, I find myself on the other side of things. After the  New York Times Co. v. Sullivan case in 1964, The U.S. Supreme Court decided that nothing may be published with "actual malice" - the intention of harming someone. Publishing information regarding an affair Cain may or may not have had was clearly published to intentionally hurt Cain, his campaign,  and his wife. Although I am not a fan of Cain's, I question whether the press may have gone too far this time in revealing such a personal part of Cain's life. On the other hand, I think the American public deserves to know what kind of candidate they are considering electing, and his actions reflect on what type of person he is. What do you think? Did the press have the right to publish intimate details about Cain's life? 

Here's a satirical parody of Cain:

Attack the Rack (Black Friday)

My Favorite Word

I have been on a bit of a shopping spree over Thanksgiving break, but I have found comfort in the fact that I am certainly not alone. Black Friday is the name given to the day after Thanksgiving; it is a day of sales and bargains galore for dedicated shoppers, and marks the beginning of the holiday shopping madness. After reading an article I found in Mr. B's quick links on www.anamericanstudies.com, I was able to make a little more sense of why people are willing to lose sleep just to save some bucks. The article highlights a few different reasons for why people love shopping on Black Friday, including: "the crowds make us happy", "we love the hunt", and "it's about togetherness". The first and third reasons seem a bit peculiar to me, but I can relate to the idea that "we love the hunt."

I would like to offer another probable explanation of why Black Friday is as crazy as it is: saving money is an emotional boost. I was raised with the advice that when possible, buy on sale and/or use a coupon. Nowadays, I rarely get the same satisfaction buying something full price as when I have bought it and saved money. Today at Bed Bath & Beyond, I managed to save $20 by using eight 20% coupons, and boy did I walk out of there feeling good. (Tip: Bed Bath & Beyond is one of the best places for bargain lovers. They send out a trillion coupons and do not check expiration dates.) My friend was sharing with me a few stories about her Black Friday shopping marathon that began at 10 p.m. on Thursday and went until 7 a.m. on Friday. Each story was preceded by "and guess how much I saved".

Whether or not cost is an issue for a shopper, everyone would rather buy something on sale for $60 than buy something originally marked as $60. This may seem a bit obvious, but what is much less obvious is that this makes perfectly good sense for a reason: Americans always want the best version of something, and the product being on sale or being able to use a coupon to buy the item allows someone to buy a better version of a product than they would have otherwise been able to. So, the next time you start hating on Black Friday, just think of it as a happy American tradition -- those who partake in the bargain hunting certainly do "Shoppers planned extensively for Black Friday — as they would for a holiday meal — and relish the day in part because it allows them to spend time with close friends and family" (Khazan).

War On Terror- 9/11

President Bush’s State of the Union Address, September 20, 2011 (the following are some direct quotes that you may find useful in writing your paper):

• On September the 11th, enemies of freedom committed an act of war against our country.
• Our war on terror begins with al Qaeda, but it does not end there. It will not end until every terrorist group of global reach has been found, stopped and defeated.
• They hate our freedoms -- our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech, our freedom to vote and assemble and disagree with each other.
• Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy campaign, unlike any other we have ever seen.
• we will pursue nations that provide aid or safe haven to terrorism
• We will take defensive measures against terrorism to protect Americans.
• These measures are essential. But the only way to defeat terrorism as a threat to our way of life is to stop it, eliminate it, and destroy it where it grows.

Is All Art Propaganda?

A little while ago in class, we were talking about different art that was used as propaganda, when one of our teachers posed this question that really made me think: is all art propaganda? My initial thought was of course not- maybe some is but not all because my favorite artists would never create propaganda. I decided to do a little more research before committing myself. According to dictionary.com, propaganda is "information, ideas, or   rumors deliberately spread widely to help  or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation, etc." My interpretation of that definition is that propaganda is anything that has an intent to help or harm. So if propaganda is something that has a goal, then wouldn't you hope that all art is propaganda, because shouldn't all good art try to communicate a message? Maybe a better question to pose would have been: is propaganda in the form of art a bad thing? 

One of my all-time favorite paintings is Picasso's Guernica, perhaps because I have studied it in Spanish class so many times, or maybe because I appreciate the originality of it. I would definitely call this painting propaganda- it's trying to express  "the tragedies of war and the suffering it inflicts upon individuals, particularly innocent civilians." (Wikipedia). How upfront, in your face propaganda is that?!? Yet, so many people, me included, love this painting. When I look at this painting I see the destruction of the innocent people, but I interpret this painting in my own way, which must be different from how Picasso felt about the issue. Picasso is not telling us how to feel about the bombing of Guernica, but rather showing how he feels about it. 

I think that all artists have a message they want to convey, but viewers can chose how to interpret the message.  Similarly, propaganda may seek to convey a message, but people are free to interpret the message however they want.  In my opinion, all good art is propaganda, and propaganda is not necessarily a bad thing when it gets people thinking. 

Billie Joe Armstrong

Mr. O'Connor recently published a post on our class blog about his hero, Pete Seeger. One of my favorite rockers is Billie Joe Armstrong, the lead singer and songwriter of Green Day. Billie Joe has been writing songs about what has been going on in America, and speaking, or rather singing out against the government when he disagrees with its actions. I can see many parallels between Billie Joe and Pete. Both men understand that music is an effective means of communication, and they both use their ability to write songs as a way of helping the public think about something the government has done. Billie Joe has said about Green Day: "We're not a political band. We don't want to tell people what to do or what to think. We just want to tell them to think." Billie Joe cannot stand ignorant people; yet he doesn't just sit around complaining about them, he tries to inspire them by writing songs like "American Idiot". In "American Idiot", he sings, "Don't want to be an American Idiot/ One nation controlled by the media". 

The Defiant One

I think that he is admirable because he takes a lot of risks writing about America's problems. Billie Joe does not sing about something he knows will bring in money, like a song about partying, but rather about a message he wants to get across. Few people are willing to risk a steady income even if they are fighting for causes that they are passionate about. Billie Joe is one of those few. 

On Wednesday, my American studies class took an excursion to see the play "Clybourne Park". The play is about racial tension and a family who is trying to sell their house in their white neighborhood.  However, the family trying to buy the house is black, and the community does not want a black family to move into their neighborhood (it is 1959). Although the family trying to sell the house was not at first in favor of a black family moving in, they later become insistent that the black family buys it and not anyone else. The family trying to sell the house wants to educate their neighbors about how ignorant they are about being unwilling to let a black family into their neighborhood.  However, the neighbors are unwilling to listen. But, just like Billie Joe, the white family's defiance of the status quo paid off, and in the end the black family was allowed to move into the neighborhood. When have you defied something that has ended up really paying off? 

The Golden Need For Speed

Drive through McDonalds window

As promised, the series post on McDonald's continues. Americans are famous for being impatient. We cannot sit still through a long tea pouring ceremony like the Japanese. (If you are unfamiliar with the history of fast food restaurants, check this out.) I am not surprised that Americans were at the forefront of fast food, because of our impatience. McDonald's, even though it did not invent fast food, has had the greatest impact on the fast food industry and our culture. 


In my opinion, McDonald's widespread franchising of fast food set America off on its quest to make everything quicker and more efficient. Since then, everything has become faster- including fast food! Drive thru's were invented so you never even had to go into a restaurant and leave your car to get food. In addition to food, think of all the technology that has become faster. Remember dial up internet? That's a thing of the past; now you can get on the internet and find the answer to a question in 10 seconds. Cameras used to take pictures you had to take to a drugstore to have developed, but now you can see the picture you took on the camera a second after you took it. I am sure you can think of many other examples- the list goes on. 


But why? Why is speed so important in America? Why can we no longer leave our car to go  get dinner or just wait for the picture to be printed to see how it looks? For starters, being speedy has always been the key to winning a race, and we want to be a nation of winners.  Furthermore, the faster we do things, the more we can do.  But that's just me. Why do you think Americans are so obsessed with everything being as fast as it can? 

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

While it is still October, I would like to take a short break from my McDonald's series, which I still plan to continue with, to talk a little bit about PINK PINK PINK. Anything that can be made pink this month, is. As you likely know, October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. As the daughter and granddaughter of breast cancer survivors, I always used to appreciate the attention brought to this cause. Recently though, I'm questioning how genuine all of the pink attention is. Sometimes it seems like everything being made pink is a publicity move by companies trying to have a good face. Companies are using the campaign as a way to increase the sales of their products by advertising their support for finding a cure for breast cancer. My question: is it bad for companies to use breast cancer awareness to increase their sales? If the end result is more money for finding a cure, then how bad is it to use some positive advertising? 


I think it is alright for companies to make money from their campaign for breast cancer awareness.  It takes a lot of money to find a cure for cancer and money is always hard to come by.  Breast cancer is one of the most common cancers that affects women in America, so it's a cause close to many.  If it weren't for the increases in products sold during October companies would not give as much money to cancer research. 


Approximately one in eight women will get breast cancer during their lives, so Americans are more likely to buy something to support breast cancer awareness because it it very likely that either they or someone they know will get breast cancer.  Also, the pink campaign encourages individuals to purchase pink products, so people who might not normally give money to the cause are now making a contribution. 


It would be great if everyone gave money out of the goodness of their hearts, to finding a cure, but in these tight economic times it's hard to raise money from individuals. Pink has been my favorite color for 16 years now, and I don't at all mind seeing a little more of it around when I go the mall or the local grocery store. 

America, The Golden Home

This post is the first of the series of posts that will be examining various aspects of American culture through the McDonald's franchise. I think that one of the stories that we tell ourselves as Americans, is that everyone else wants to be like us. In some ways, this is true and in some ways this is not. It's not true because of things like not everyone has decided to run their country the same way that we run ours, meaning not everyone has a democracy, similar justice system, similar values, the list goes on. However, our impact on the world can be undeniably seen through how the most loved fast food restaurant, and the founder of fast food, has taken the world with over 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries. In case you forgot, I'm talking about McDonald's. But, as McDonald's has become globalized, it has also become glocalized. 

Two popular McDonald's dishes in India

India is a great example of how other countries are taking an American phenomenon and adapting it to their own customs and ways of life. Hinduism is huge in India and the Indian McDonald's menu reflects that. Hamburgers and other beef products cannot be found on their menu. (McDonald's India menu)This is not to say that Indians do not want to be like us Americans, but it is an example that shows that not everyone is willing to conform to be just like us. 


Another Point I would like to make is that no one ever talks about is that for the most part, other countries were not inviting in McDonalds or American culture, McDonalds began franchising other places on their own. Perhaps it's time we stop believing that the story we tell ourselves about the whole world wanting to be just like us is true. 

Redemption

Electric Chair

On http://www.anamericanstudies.com/, there is a blog post titled "A Lesson After Dying?" about Troy Davis, a man who was killed by the death penalty just last week after being accused as guilty for murdering a policeman in 1989. In case you did not catch on, the title of Doc Oc's blog post, "A Lesson After Dying?", is a reference to the book A Lesson Before Dying, written by Ernest Gaines. I had the chance to read the book last year over the summer for summer reading. For those of you who are unacquainted with the novel, it's about a black man in the South (seeing any parallels to Davis?) who was accused of murdering a white man by gun (how about now?). Before Jefferson is executed, he gets various lessons from another man, and when he goes to sit down in the chair, he dies as a man rather than the boyish "hog" that he used to be. One cannot help but feel bad for Jefferson not only because he was wrongly accused, but because he had so much personal growth in the time in between when he was sentenced and when he was executed.

What this all comes down to is the concept of redemption. By the time Jefferson had to be executed, he had truly redeemed himself and became a man, which is why the reader feels so upset when he is killed. Davis was not lucky enough to have the chance to redeem himself, but who is to say that if he were to be let free, he would not have redeemed himself then? America was founded upon the ideas of redemption- the first European settlers of the U.S. came over looking for a second chance, trying to find the freedom to practice the religion of their choice, and hoping to get a clean slate and start anew. Many years later the Revolutionary War occurred, when the new inhabitants of the land once again wanted to break free from England and get a chance to live the life they wanted. American history is filled with tons of stories of redemption, and I believe it is an American value we are very proud of. For this reason, it seems very twisted that the death penalty is still used in the United States and that we do not give the second chance to people who have been accused of crimes when Americans throughout time have been give a chance at redemption.

World Vegetarian Day

Are veggies YOUR friend?

I have a weird hobby. I like to look up on Wikipedia whatever the day's date is. So today, like always, I searched "October 1" on Wikipedia, and began skimming through the page. A few things caught my eye about October 1st: Disney World in Florida opened, same-sex marriages became legal in Denmark -- which was the first country to introduce them, Nigeria gained its independence from the U.K., it's International Day of Older Persons, and World Vegetarian day. (History of October 1st on Wikipedia) In the likely event that you do not share my habit, I would like to inform you that today is a big, happy day! Yesterday was T-Pain's birthday, the two-year anniversary of the deadly Sumatra earthquake, and International Blasphemy Day, which is especially depressing considering it was Rosh Hashanah. Yesterday was clearly not as good of a day as today is -- World Vegetarian Day!


Now let me start off by saying that I love meat, almost all meat too. And fish too, regardless of whether it has been cooked, filleted, fried, broiled, rolled in rice and seaweed, you name it. So it seems very fitting that there would be an entire day dedicated to people unlike me who have the control to avoid these guilty pleasures. As the World Vegetarian Day Wikipedia page says: "[the day] brings awareness to the ethical, environmental, health and humanitarian benefits of a vegetarian lifestyle." The first reason I admire vegetarians is for their ethical beliefs that it is wrong to eat animals. My first reaction whenever someone says she is a vegetarian is, "Who cares about those animals? It's survival of the fittest, and I am more fit!" But after trying to feel some sympathy for the animals, I realized that I too am an animal- all humans are. Just because I am lucky enough not to have to worry about being killed and eaten as food (thank god!), does not mean that I should not feel responsible for other animals who aren't so lucky. With much new research coming out on cows and the methane they produce hurting the environment, abstaining from eating meat seems like it does more than just save the life of some cows, it could be saving the life of a polar bear too. 

Despite the fact that we all know it is good to be a vegetarian, most of us are not. It may be because like me, you love meat and fish too much, or it could be something else. Eating meat is a privilege, and a symbol of wealth. My sister has recently gotten some first hand experience on this now that she is just out of college and trying to support herself on a first job salary. She often complains about how she can't eat meat and that she is feeling deprived. I think Americans are proud of the hard work that they have put in to come this far to not only be able to eat meat but be picky with it, and they certainly are not ready to give up this "greedy" lifestlye. Why else do YOU think Americans love to eat meat? Why do we chose to ignore the little voice in our heads of the cute cow mooing? 

Being an "Observant" Jew in a Public School

(Side note: If you are unfamiliar with the customs of Rosh Hashanah, I suggest you check this out Rosh Hashanah)


Wednesday evening marks the beginning of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The holiday carries on until Friday at sundown and then shabbat, the Jewish sabbath and day of rest begins immediately and ends Saturday at sun down. For most kids the Thursday that we have off of school is spent out doing whatever they want to, seeing movies, sleeping late, hanging out with friends, shopping, etc. As a conservative and "observant" Jew I spend the day differently.The video below should help you better understand what the holiday is about. 


This is how the conversation went with one of my teachers went last year when I asked him to sign my absence note:
-Me: Good morning (teacher's name). I am going to be missing school Wednesday for Rosh Hashanah, would you please sign my absence note?"
-Teacher: Oh, nice. Sure. I thought Rosh Hashanah was Tuesday. Catching up on sleep?
-Me: Nope. Going to synagogue and praying for 5 hours.
-Teacher: Really? I never knew. What do you do on Rosh Hashanah?
-Me: Well, Rosh Hashanah is the Jewish New Years. So, my family and I go to synagogue together from 9 until 2 and then we go home and start preparing for dinner where we have 20 people over and then we have some Jewish traditions that we follow also like listening to the shofar, eating apples and honey for a sweet new year and a round challah. 
-Teacher: You do all that on our day off? That's so unfair that you have to miss school a second day and are so busy like that too!


I am unsure how I feel about the last thing that he said there- that it is unfair for me to not be given the school day off for a religious observance. In the defense of the school board, they did give off one day for those who wish to observe the holiday, and in the United States we have separation of church and state, so religion should not interfere with school. However, if we are using that as an excuse, then it makes no sense that we are given off Good Friday and our winter break is planned off of when Christmas is and so many other Christian holidays. In a place where we believe in separation of church and state, then why have all 44 of our presidents been Christian? Why do we only ever hear Christmas music? For me, having to miss school because I am Jewish has just always been how it is. It's annoying to have to catch up on work and tests I missed, but it does strengthen my sense of Jewish identity. Choosing to miss school for the second day of Rosh Hashanah means much more than if I was just given the day off to go to synagogue. What do you think? Is it unfair that students have to miss school to observe religious holidays?

Blue Jeans Love

Summer is ending, the weather is cooling, and my wardrobe is changing. It's just about time to break out my good old blue jeans. I, like nearly every other girl my age, love jeans. And for that matter, not just girls or people my age love jeans - but everyone loves jeans. When my uncle was in Russia in the 1970s, a man tried to buy the jeans he was wearing off of him. However, Americans' love for jeans tops all.

JEAN HEAVEN

Why is that, you ask? Well, there are a few different theories. One theory is that jeans are a symbol of hard work. Miners and other physical laborers traditionally wore jeans while they were out working (history of jeans) and as Americans we are proud of our hard work. Another theory is that jeans are useful. We have developed a notion that jeans match anything. Furthermore, jeans are quite versatile: they can be dressy enough to wear on the red carpet, or casual enough for cleaning your own carpet. Jeans can be shorts, jeans can be pants, and they can be worn year round. Every person, despite age and size differences, can find jeans that fit. Some options that make them so lovable are multi-button front closure, zippers, elastic waists for the older generation or the pregnant, jeggings (jean leggings) for those who love their comfort, and pockets galore. My favorite jeans are skinny jeans from Nordstrom that I can tuck into boots or wear with ballet flats or sandals. Lastly, they are always a great buy because they are so durable and even if they get rips or holes, you can pass them off as distressed, which is now a jean style in its own right. 


Now it's time to deal with the designer jeans issue. Designer jeans are a symbol of status. One way to tell if  jeans are designer jeans is by the stitching on the rear pockets. Different stitching designs are easily recognizable to jean lovers but they are not flashy, which gives off the message of wealth without the need to show it off. Personally, I don't think that designer jeans are worth $200, which is how much some cost. After trying on a pair of Citizens of Humanity jeans two years ago, I fell in love with the soft, rich color and promptly splurged for them. Two days later, while wearing them during a very mild hike in a nearby forest preserve, they ripped on the left leg from a tree branch just barely brushing them. I have had my favorite Nordstrom jeans for almost a year, though, and they aren't even fraying at the leg.


Jeans are a very American thing, but in my opinion designer jeans are not because they do not represent many of the American values listed above.  My question for you now is: why do designers want to make jeans, which traditionally have been so ordinary, into something so extraordinary? With that being said, tomorrow is going to be cold, so enjoy your jeans.

Yoga On The Rise

  

School starting again marks a whole new year of rigorous academics, busy social lives, and of course extra-curriculars beginning again. With my hectic life starting anew, there have been few things I have been craving as much as an invigorating yoga class, and I know that I am not alone. This past Friday at dance lab in school, when we were given a few minutes to stretch on our own, I chose to start with a downward dog. Seconds after  beginning the pose, a chorus of sighs and chatter between friends erupted with everyone saying the same thing: "I could really use some yoga right about now." My fellow classmates, some who are my best friends and some who I had never met in my entire life, made me truly question why has yoga, a practice which originated in Buddhist India, become so popular among teens in America?


One of my favorite parts about yoga is that it truly is for everyone. As teenagers, we are expected to be adults in more ways than we are given credit for. We are taught from an early age to accept criticism. Although we have become accustomed to being told that we are not good enough, whether it is through a grade given on a paper or being cut from your high school's sports team, we obviously enough do not like it. In yoga, acceptance is the norm and we are not given criticism but rather adjustments. This friendly atmosphere is much more welcoming than a class where you are constantly competing for the higher grade or a sport where you want to be seen as the star player on the team.

Yoga offers modifications for everyone's abilities and needs. (http://www.yogachicago.com/nov03/yoga-for-teens.shtml) For example, almost all types of yoga encourage inversions, which allow the deoxygenated blood in your legs to travel back up to your brain. Not everyone is able to hold a bound headstand (me pictured at left), so people can opt to do less difficult versions of inversions such as the shoulder stand, or legs up the wall - a pose where you lie on your back and let your legs form a 90 degree angle resting against the wall.

Yoga is a safe haven to everyone who practices it. It is an endeavor  that encourages self-acceptance, experimentation, relaxation, and of course, a good workout. I believe yoga is popular among American teenagers because it tells us we are good enough just the way we are.