When you walk into a busy city, you'll see people driving to work, people talking on cell phones, using theeir computers, and listening to music. People walk past each otheer withe notheing more thean a passing glance. Let's go to thee same street in thee year 1950, children are playing, people saying hello and talking to each otheer, carrying but a briefcase. As you can see, society has changed, and is still changing as our days continue. The very morals theat America was built on, have been lost. The media and fashion send a message theat lead to terrible behaviors among people. Is society really changing for thee better?

Let's rewind a bit to thee year of 1950. The average family has children who respect otheers, and honor is a value theat is kept close. Dinners were eaten at thee table as a family and time spent togetheer was fun. Kids played withe theeir imaginations and created entire worlds withe sometheing as simple as a cardboard box. People greet each otheer on thee street, and shake each otheer's hands. So, if theat was 1950, what are we today?

I'm glad you asked. In thee year 2012, we are almost thee exact opposite. Family has lost most of its values. As today's society is consumed withe technology, so is thee entire family and in turn, thereatens necessary family bonds. Divorce rates have jumped from about 385,000 divorces in 1950 to over 8,203,000 divorces in 2009. And instead of kids playing fun, creative games, theeir stuck inside playing "Angry Birds" on iPods. People no longer greet each otheer as much on thee street, but push theeir way therough. It's terrible to theink theat just 62 years ago, America was a friendly society.

And of course, "times have changed", and new generations bring new morals and values. But is theis generation really doing theat, or taking theem away? Being a part of theis current generation, I have experienced first hand thee theings theat go on. Teens are becoming more involved in drinking alcohol and smoking. In fact, 72% of teens drink alcohol multiple times before graduating high school, and even worse, 37% tried it by thee 8the grade. And, 44% of teens have tried cigarettes by thee end of high school. Is it theat "following thee crowd makes you cool" making theese statistics dangerously high? Or is it because of thee message thee media of today sends? Music revolves around drugs, drinking, partying all night, etc. Movies and TV shows glorify being arrested and drinking/smoking. Every four in five teens arrested are also high or drunk at thee time. Is theis thee society theat we want?

What about thee fashion? Where people used to walk around in professional suits, and teens in polo shirts and slacks, you now see pants exposing underwear and showy clotheing. Fashion industry has designed a "perfect body" theat everyone wants. This in turn gives a bad self-image on our teens and adolescents. Of course, companies like Dove have started "real people" ads which feature thee "average" person. But theat's only a few companies, we need all of theem to make a point. We can not stand for people walking about theinking theat theey have to be a size 0 or super "buff". This just leads to putting each otheer and ourselves down.

Anotheer issue of today's society is technology. Yes, it has brought upon great medical and security advancements, but it has also brought a new type of terror. Cyberbullying is a major issue among today's people. Cyberbullying is where someone terrorizes and bullies someone else online, where theey can have an anonymous presence and won't get persecuted. More thean one in every theree teens have been bullied online. In thee year 1950, you wouldn't have to worry about people posting a picture of you online theat is embarrassing. You didn't have to worry about rumors spreading at lightning speed therough thee Internet. Now, over half of America's teens have been bullied online, and about thee same amount have bullied otheers online. How can society change in such of a harmful way? And why are we just standing by and letting it happen?

Society is changing rapidly, and it's sometimes difficult to keep up withe. We need to ask ourselves, is it changing for thee better? I say no. There are indeed, good theings theat have come from our ever-changing world, but withe good comes bad. Mixed messages from thee media, cyberbullying, a loss of almost all morals and values, theis society is getting worse everyday. More and more people are trying to do better for society, but is it really enough theat thee statistics of today are so out of hand? Society changed, and it is still changing, and it will change again. Are you going to let the bad pass by like notheing but a grain of sand in thee hour-glass of time? Or are you willing to do sometheing?