I've been doing a lot of thinking lately about society and the U.S. in particular and I think I've come up with some good theories about the way we live. I've been wanting to talk about my theories, but not with anyone I know for reasons I can't quite figure out. So I figured, what better place then here, on GameSpot, where no one knows me? This post is very long, but I think that if you read it, it could stimulate some interesting debate and discussion.

My biggest problem with society right now is that we all know there are so many things wrong with the world, but we don't do anything about any of them (well, most of us don't do anything). I fall under this category as well, although I would like to attribute that to my only being sixteen. Our biggest problem today (in America, at least) is our incredible apathy. Terrible things like poverty and homelessness do not seem to bother most Americans very much. We know these things exist, but, since many of us spend little time around the poor and homeless, we care too little to do anything to solve these problems. Hurricane Katrina is recognized as a tragedy, but there are still people without homes, living in terrible conditions, roaming across the country, but we seem to have lost interest already and so little is done.

A second problem with America is that everyone is scared of each other. In the media, we read about terrorists and bombers and murderers and rapists and all kinds of horrible people. We fear so much for our safety that we feel the need to buy guns to protect our family and we feel the need to enter unecessary wars to quel "terrorist activity." Fear has plagued the American people so much, that I believe terrorist threats can now be used as an excuse for practically everything.

Another huge problem with America is that nearly everyone is greedy. Most people have had (or do have) dreams of being rich, but, in my opinion, this is disgusting. How can a person honestly live happily with tons of money, while others are suffering and going to sleep hungry? Why would someone want more money than they need to live comfortably? What's the point of owning a big yacht when in other parts of the world, a loaf of bread is exceptionally valuable.

The final problem I see with America is that many people wish to obtain power. Through government and religion, people all over the country are able to manipulate the everyman to get what they desire. The government plays on our fears and apathy to get power, to expand, and to get rich, while we are simply to fearful and apathetic to stop them. I don't want to offend anyone, but I think religious establishments simply tell people how to live life or else they will forever burn in Hell or some variation of that place. People are so afraid of death, that they let religion run their lives, hoping that a great afterlife awaits them.

All in all, I think that American society is going downhill these days. I believe that our government is destroying the ideas of democracy and replacing them with a fascist regime where only the powerful make money and prevail. All the while, us normal Americans sit back and watch TV and play video games (I'm guilty of this stuff too) while our freedoms are slowly eroded. These are just my thoughts and it's possible that they're more ridiculous than I realize (I am somewhat of a hippie, after all), but I just wanted to voice my opinion. Discuss if you wish...

As long as you don't push your views on other people, then believe whatever you want. It is MY opinion that people shouldn't try to define who can love whom. Gay marriage should be allowed because to prohibit it would be a problem on two levels: outlawing gay marriage is unconstitutional and it merges Church and State.

Also, your argument about people marrying animals isn't valid because an animal can't sign a marriage contract. Animals don't receive legal and economic benefits, so marrying one would be useless and impossible. Marriage is as much a legal contract as it is a loving commitment.