I despise censorship--that is not at all the answer to the problems of our teens. I only want to point out that corporations, amoral entities that see the world in terms of profits without compassionate and humane agendas, are dictating our culture. It seems like people are no longer creating the culture and the beliefs of our society. Our system is becoming psychotic. Corporate values suck.

One could argue that it's okay that our children are dealing with adult things at earlier and earlier ages. In the old days, young teens had children and got married--in other parts of the world today, this is happening. Maybe I am being a narrow-minded prude, myself, as I complain about our changing world--I should embrace corporate values. Today, then, the task would be to prepare adolescents for surviving and functioning in our world at an earlier age. The kids I teach are surely not ready for this, and I don't know that I'm capable of preparing them for what the characters in "thirteen" go through.

The movie, "thirteen," is excellent but dark, a bit like Requiem for a Dream and River's Edge. It has made me question our society and system. You should see it, but it won't make you happy.