Author: Daniel Manzo

Daniel Manzo

Mr. Amaral

AP English and Composition

February 11, 2020

Instagram or Insta Depression?

I understand why some people see social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat as a  way of life, a way of communication in the modern age, a way of being socially active without having to leave the comfort of your bed. It’s quite amazing to see how far technology has come to be able to allow us to talk to our friends even if they are miles apart.

But with that said, there comes a point where scrolling through that good ol Instagram fee may not be the best for everyone’s mental health. I mean sure, making a living off of 10 second videos can for sure make anyone happy, but what about the 2 million people watching the video? Are they happy? Are they mentally stable like everyone else? Are they as social as their posts say they are?

I honestly believe that even though social media changes people’s lives and allows activity outside of the real world, it can be seen as a leading cause of depression in teens and young adults. It may be a place where people can lose touch with reality even if its purpose is to do the opposite.

Social media is not only the news for the modern day, but it lets people all around the world talk and communicate with friends and even play games. It’s a place to go when you need to either burn some time or to have fun catching up on what your friends have been up to.

Although social media has all of those benefits and great qualities, it’s not always the best thing in the world. Caroline Miller, an analyst from Child Mind Institute claims that,”In several recent studies, teenage and young adult users who spend an elongated time on Instagram, Facebook, and others  were shown to have a substantially higher rate of reported depression than those who spent the least time.”

Meaning that teens and young adults are proven to have a higher rate of depression. So what does this mean exactly? Does it mean we should get teens off social platforms? No, we just need to limit the time some of these kid’s time they spend on social media. If they are on it too often then it can affect their mental health.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see that maybe social media isn’t the best place for our kids. For instance according to childmind.org, “People are spending less time on more authentic social experiences that decreases PSI.” If you don’t happen to know what PSI is let me explain. PSI stands for “perceived social isolation” which is how isolated people keep themselves and when teens over use social platforms, their levels of PSI shoot up.

But even with that out there we can’t deny that social media is the home of rich, successful content creators. Social media can change peoples lives just by letting them create their own videos to post into the world. But then again, problems seem to always arise. In a statement made by childmind.org it says that “Especially in teenage girls, when they compare themselves negatively with artfully created images of those who appear, prettier, thinner, more popular and richer.”

They basically tell themselves that they aren’t good enough if they aren’t as good as famous Instagram models. In the end they make themselves feel insecure by telling themselves they will never be good enough. Another reason teens should lower their time on social platforms.

But even after all of that. Social media is still one of the most useful technologies of the modern age. And it is used by millions of people all around the world. It keeps millions of people connected no matter how far away they are. Not to mention it produces our high quality memes.

Although it has a good and bad side we can’t ever deny is that we can change that. We don’t have to kick all of these people off or boycott anything. We just need restrictions. Because when people don’t have restrictions they don’t know when to stop. We just have to limit the time teens spend on social media. Instead of being on it for hours and hours we can cut it down to just a couple of hours. Another thing we can try is getting our kids some real social interaction. Because it is a lot better for not only lowering depression but for also improving social skills.

Daniel Manzo

Mr. Amaral

AP English and Composition

September 16, 2020

Teens in Love?

Teens, they are all around us in today’s society. And with all the memes floating around the internet like “okay boomer” and phrases along that line, we tend to see teens having fun but maybe having too much fun living their young lives. And when it comes down to relationships, teens are going in and out of them like they’re butter. 

They don’t really get a glimpse of the “love”, the actual true meaning. Adults seem to really neglect the idea of “teen love”, they just write it off as 2 kids with raging hormones. They think it’s just kids trying to get some of that s.e.x and lose that V thing. These adults don’t believe that teens can actually love each other and end up living their whole lives together.

I honestly believe that this is 100% possible. I mean it happens all the time anyways so is it really that hard to believe? Even though it can be hard, it is possible for teens to find true love at an early stage of their life. Adults just don’t like to admit it because they fear that their children may bring someone special home one day.

Now believe it or not I am actually in a relationship so with that said I have to personally admit that there will be biases all around here. But I will not let that overthrow the bigger picture in the slightest.

To be completely honest and transparent I feel like teen love and affection is a normal thing. Yes it sometimes ended in a rather quick manner but overall it happens. Love is a feeling not only that but just because we are of a younger age doesn’t generally mean that we don’t have everything figured out. We don’t, trust me we don’t, but we at least some of us have a good idea of what’s working and what’s not. 

I tend to think about how people can be so profound against a statement like this, how can one not want to embrace this idea about love between teens. In fact why can’t people see through this age barrier adults put up for us? What is an age to them, yes of course one can’t be 18 and the other 15, but what about teens that are the same age? Just because we are younger that doesn’t mean we don’t know what’s right and what’s not. According to wf-lawyers.com a team named San Diego divorce lawyers that specialize in divorce throughout all professions says that there “Are about one divorce every 13 seconds which equates to 277 divorces in 1 single hour.” That’s it! Adults get divorce all the time, don’t you think that with all that information that they would be a little biased. They believe that due to these statistics all kids will just end up getting a divorce eventually anyways.

Not only that, but most of these adults have probably experienced some kind of divorce or break up, they are biased towards the idea of teen love because they believe that just because they went through some hard times that the teens will just end up going through it as well. Not only that, but adults are usually with someone they met after college or highschool. I know exactly what people will say about this, “Highschool couples don’t last” or “Enjoy it while it lasts.” And honestly it’s true. According to mensdivorce.com, a man named Daniel Pearce writer of popular article “What is Gained by Filing a Fault Divorce” says that only about 2 percent of marriages are from highschool and about 25 percent of women say they married their first love.

Now  what does that mean? Well basically that is saying that the likelihood that you will have a relationship lasting from your teenage years is slim but still possible. Which brings me to my next point…my parents. My parents believe it or not are actually married and have been married for over 25 years, not only that but they have been together since junior year of highschool. I mean all the evidence I really need is sitting right in front of me. Yes nowadays the chances of having teen love actually work is slim but still possible. My parents believe in teen love because they were in that exact same position at one point in time.

Teen love is real, teens can for sure find true love at an early stage of their life. According to betterhelp.com, a writer named Stephanie Kirby freelance copywriter and content writer for  several industries including mental health and wellness says claims that, “Determining whether this love will last solely on the individuals and if they are willing to develop the feeling of love into true love.” Meaning that it is all up to them and just because they are kids doesn’t mean that that automatically won’t work out.

You can’t just assume that just because the lovers are of a younger age that they can’t find true love for each other. It’s possible it just takes time and effort just as all relationships go. No matter what age anyone can do it. Just as long as you have the will to do it then it can happen. And honestly that is how I see it as well.

For a teen with supposedly “raging hormones”, I know exactly what I want from life and that is why I am working so hard to get it. I dont do all this hard work for nothing. There is always a purpose. Just as long as I stick by my word I can do anything. Teen love is real there is no doubt in my mind. You can’t limit love to a certain age or barrier. Just as long as you know and feel that it is real then you can experience it all the same ways.

Love is love, whether it’s between a cat and dog, or a man and woman, or dinosaur and huge gorilla, love is love and if you know it’s true you take that chance with it. I believe teen love is real, whether people believe it or not, I won’t let the idea of teen love being unreal stop me from believing what I truly want to believe. Teen love is real and it is 100% possible for teens to find true love at such an early stage of their life

Daniel Manzo

Mr. Amaral

AP English 11

December 13, 2019

Entertainment Worth More Than a Human Life?

The other day I was watching T.V with my father, he’s a big fan of basketball, baseball, football, and once in a blue moon he’ll tune into the latest tennis match to watch super star player Serena Williams dominate the game, sending opposing sides home in tears and anguish. He knows the seasons, the times of games, things like that. As a child I remember my father telling me that these people made so much money just by running around a field either kicking, bouncing, or holding a ball. And as I sat there watching the latest Warriors game, I realized something…these grown men get way to much recognition for doing nothing more than playing an intense version of simple sport kids play to pass the time.

I mean shit, D’Angelo Russell a point guard for the Warriors currently has a 4-year contract for $117 million according to BleacherReport.com, but that is way too much money for someone to get for doing little to no actual work. That’s a lot of money, and I mean a lot of freaking money for playing a sport everyday and exercising. They get paid to perfect their body and eat well and play a sport that is hard work but fun at the same time. It’s what little kids play to pass the time. And they get paid millions of dollars a year.

That is more money than most people will ever make in a lifetime. Why? Why do they get payed so much for having fun all day, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to see that this is not right. And from a sixteen year old standpoint I can 100% see why kids my age want to grow up to be a professional sports athlete. Imagine making all that money a year by playing a sport. Even some of the worst players can still make more money than anyone of us will see in our entire lives. And I just have to know, why are they getting paid so much money? The fans… you have all these people watching their games and events and buying merch and doing all of these things to provide so much money towards these people. 

Now before people start raising their pitchforks, torches, $20 hotdogs, and complimentary foam fingers let me say I love sports, I really do, I’m not a hater against the players or teams or even the sport itself, I used to love to sit down and watch the latest game of baseball with my dad. Sports is a way to bond with loved ones or  close friends in general. I am not anyway bias against sports or against the sport industry in any way. 

But there are people out there trying to find cures to diseases like cancer, flu, or any other virus and disease. There are surgeons saving lives and scientists finding ways to help people recover from long time illnesses. You know that flu shot you get every year, unless you are an anti vax parent for some reason but we’ll save that topic or another argument. You know that shot you get every year? Well if these scientists go to school for years to study this then you wouldn’t be able to have these virus preventing shots. 

You know what Im just going to say it. Athletes should not be getting paid over 200% more than doctors, surgeons, or anyone profession in the medical field. It’s not right it just isn’t. They get paid so much money to do nothing and we have people out here giving up their lives to first study and then work and perform as a life saver. People out there have the ability to save actual lives and change the world in the medical field. 

In other words NO honestly if a doctor has to spend an extra 10 YEARS in college to have his or her current profession, then he or she should be getting paid just as much as any athlete. In 2012 the average physician earns about $187,200 a year and in 2017 they earned around $212,540 a year according to Amainsure.com, that’s a lot of money don’t get me wrong. Some people would die to make some hard cash like that, but you see the average professional baseball player makes around 4.38 million dollars not including the team salary, merchandise, things like that. And that’s the average professional player.

Doctors don’t make nearly as much money as pro athletes make. Doctors make less thsn 1 fifth of an athletes pay rate again not including merch and things like that. But here’s the thing, it’s annoying because its the peoples fault, we make them all there money by buying merch and watching the live events, games, and so many other ways. Doctors and surgeons don’t  get as much recognition as they deserve for anything they do, when someone gets out of surgery alive, the family either thanks god or a miracle, they don’t always say “You saved his life,” they say “Thank god for working his miracle.” And I get it, it is a miracle that person made it, but it was the surgeon that performed this so called “miracle”.

And I know exactly what people will say, “Well Daniel, athletes work day in and day out training, eating right, practicing all of that.” And yes you are 100% right, they are working all day all night to get their bodies into elite shape to be able to perform the best every game. As if I didn’t know that already. But to be completely honest they aren’t doing anything more than entertaining and inspiring future generations of more overpaid athletes.

And of course athletes also had to go to school at one point to build up to where they are now. But look, they didn’t have to go for nearly as long as doctors have to. Doctors go to school for 12 years, if they want to be a surgeon that’s an additional 2-4 years that’s a total of 14 years for the average surgeon according to study.com. According to ncaa.org it says that 8 out of 10 students get the standard bachelor’s degree and the other 35% get a postgraduate degree. They don’t study as hard, they don’t have to remember nearly as much, and they come out with significantly less debt. And since they make so much money they are able to pay it off in a matter of years. 

I just don’t see how athletes make so much more money than doctors. Yes they get their name out there in the world, and yes they have to work all of those years but here’s the thing: who’s giving those athletes their strict healthy diet? NUTRITIONISTS! Who’s taking care of these players that get injured? STAND BY NURSES! And who tells them how to take care of their bodies? DOCTORS. These people are the key to keeping these athletes going and moving for hours and hours. Athletes and doctors go hand in hand when it comes down to it you can’t have one without the other.

So the next time you see these players bouncing or kicking a ball around a court, just remember who keeps them in shape and keeps their bodies nice and strong, remember who tells them and gives them the diet plan that keeps their bodies moving for hours on end. These athletes depend on these medical geniuses to keep them going, and that’s why doctors and professions should be making just as much money as athletes.

Life is a good lesson for anyone who deals with problems or has a hard time managing certain topics on a daily basis. From getting “bullied” and “made fun of” in my early years of life I learned a couple things. I learned that life can be hard and that people wont always be there for you even they say they will.

I dont lie, I dont make up stories for an “emotional” appeal. I could care less if anyone didnt agree with me. I have my reasons and my complaints towards major issues in this world we live in. And theres somethings I have to be clear about when speaking.

Yes I am biased-I mean I have to be at this point. There are beliefs I have developed throughout my life due to personal experiences. I wont hide it my biased either, again if one does not agree with me then so be it. I wont ever have you wondering if I am being biased, youll know.

My emotions are very powerful towards certain topics about life and equality. You should know that tax payrolls are bullshit, like come on now, you tax these low wage workers but never once will you ever tax a big corporate company. I mean these people are working day n and day but yet they get taxed the hardest out of everyone.

I have my opinions on a lot of these kinds of issues. This world is far from perfect. I mean we have people out here still getting shot and killed, school shooting are still a thing, our amazing and perfect president cant wait to enact nuclear warfare, things like this are just bound to be talked about.

But for me I keep my opinion to myself. If no one wants to hear it then whats the point in my eyes. But if my opinion is ever needed then oh lord will you get it. I am a very nice and peaceful person but when the time comes where I need to stand up for myself then I will certainly do that.

But at least I am not the only one, there are a lot of people that are biased towards something, everyone has their clicks mines just so happens to be on public issues. But other than that the major concerns I have are about racial issues. Ah yes the racial identities of the world, what an amazing problem to have…isnt it?