  independent- adj. free from the influence or control of others (i.e. self-governing, self-reliant, not adhering to any political party, not connected with others)................................................. Yeah...w/e. Supposedly we're 'independent' but I, for one, don't think we're free. Left and right we're being told what to do and what not to do.
In the magazines we are told ways that we can become healthy and then if you turn the page a couple times, there's an anorexic looking model. I mean right there in front of our faces: look like this and you've got it made. Well, too bad not all of us are size 0. Proud to be 9! In some schools, towns, churches, etc. at one time or another, you couldn't read certain books (Fahrenheit 451, To Kill a Mockingbird, Harry Potter series...).
Our music is being labeled as something bad and has a lovely PARENTAL ADVISORY warning on it. What happened to freedom of speech? If someone feels the need to say fuck in every sentence, give them the damn free right. And they obviously want to be heard by an audience, just let em! But hopefully parents are wise w/ the littluns...Even our movies are going downhill. I don't necessarily agree w/ everything in the Michael Moore movie according to what I've heard, but I'm not gonna bash the guy because of it. Did you ever notice that at lunch time at school, there are tons of groups or cliques? The bad thing is, I've seen the future and it's not looking good.
I don't like labeling kids, but when choir went to North, you could tell who the next whores were, who the wannabe thugs were, the computer geeks, the outcasts, the cheerleaders. Everyone had a label. Then CHS had an open house for incoming Freshmen. The same thing was displayed again. These kids are going to learn the hard way. To them, it's like God forbid you talk to someone not in the group. I am just sick of the stereotyping, hypocrisy *although I can fall victim to that sometimes*, and vanity of others.
Think about it...are we REALLY independent? Maybe we're just limiting ourselves to being free. Maybe something's programmed in our minds telling us that we can't be rebellious, that we can't be spontaneous, we can't be ourselves without being ridiculed. I guess I just don't understand Final remarks: FREEDOM MY ASS 
