2、Brave New WorldWelcome to year 2001. To many Americans, it has a nice, familiar ring since much of our culture revolves around forecasting the new millennium, this fascinating time of great social and technological developments. Growing up in the 80s and the 90s, I remember reading books and watching movies set in the amazing 21st century. People dressed in biosuits, babies born in laboratories, cars travelling through air, and the moon has become our favorite vacation spot. These incredible images used to fill my young mind with excitement. I would lie awake at night, thinking how slowly time moved, wondering if Id live to see the 21st century. (Keep in mind I was only ten years old then.) And that day has finally arrived. The future is here and now. Last week, I was driving to a meeting with a movie producer. Suddenly the traffic ahead came to an abrupt halt and we went from 70 miles per hour to a total stand still. (Usual for L.A. freeways.) Trapped, we leaned back in our seats.“ So, Michelle, what are your plans for the New Year? I mean what do you hope to accomplish in this year?” She asked. “ OK?” I thought for a moment. “ You mean New Year resolutions?” “ Cant start the year without them.” She smiled. “ You know, turn over a new leaf.” “ Yes, I know. And no, I havent given it that much thought yet.” “ Do you have any resolutions?” Then it dawned on me how much our personal resolutions, however small and insignificant they may seem, reflect the current social mentality and, in the long run, determine the course of our society. Lets for a moment, think about the word, resolution. It means having the resolve and the firm conviction to do something, a state of being determined. I dont know about you, but it requires a lot of courage and strength to have resolve which includes persistence, perseverance, drive. Its interesting how most resolutions involve some kind of change. And this desire for change is often the motivator for progress. Therefore, by taking note of peoples New Year resolutions, we can foresee the direction which our society gravitates toward. On that note, lets look at what most Americans have on their plate for this years New Year resolutions: Lose 25 pounds before the summer Quit smoking Cut back drinking Work out for 1 hour three times a week Read a novel a week Stick within a spending budget Learn a new programming language Eat five servings of vegetables a day Get a job promotion Travel the world in 80 days Floss after every meal Go to see a dentist Call home every week Watch less TV Decide what my passions are and follow them Find a better paying job with more upward mobility Etc, etc, etc? Believe it or not, this is just the tip of the iceberg. The list goes on and on. And from it, we can gather that America is a youth, health and career/success obsessed society. 1.YOUTH Looking around America, youll notice that most faces on billboards, magazines, TV and advertisements are that of young, pretty people. In a culture that equates youth with beauty, a majority of Americans is constantly at war with aging. Before the advent of new technologies, people used to jump through hoops to shave a couple years off of their looks. But now, laser surgery is a relatively painless alternative to facelifts and skin tucks. And let us not forget all the fancy anti aging cosmetic products and skin treatments in department stores and beauty salons. Furthermore, we have also developed holistic approaches to fighting aging: yoga, herbs, acupuncture, etc. It seems like people will do almost anything to stay young. But the crazy thing is that you cant stay young forever. Thats impossible. What you can do is feel youthful. And that requires much more than cosmetic changes. In order to feel young, you must exercise your mind, keep up with the world and maintain an active lifestyle. In other words, instead of spending 5000 on wrinkle removing laser surgery, why not go on an adventurous journey to an unfamiliar part of the world? Instead of spending 50 on a bottle of anti aging lotion, why not buy a mountain bike? We should always remember the fountain of youth lies in our heart, mind and spirit. 2.HEALTH One of the characteristics of youth is good health. And Americans are definitely on the right track.Since the early 90s, America has been on a big health kick. People are staying away from foods that are high in fat, sodium and cholesterol. More of us are quitting smoking, cutting down drinking and exercising more.We sip herbal teas, gulp fresh juices,stir fry organic vegetables,hire personal trainers, and consult nutritionists.Do you know that some Americans take 15 worth of vitamins a day? Unbelievable, huh? In addition to staying in good physical form, we try to enhance our mental and spiritual health.Most Americans lead a stressful lifestyle: too many places to go, people to see, bills to pay, etc. As a result, we are tense,