Opinions <strong>horace</strong> <strong>mann</strong> Defining Success: A Difference Between Male and Female Adolescents BY ERICA CHIANG alice taranto What do you want to do when you grow up This is the age-old question that adults ask children. But what happens when you ask a young adult Do males and females view this question differently as they become adults Recently, when talking to a mixed-<strong>gender</strong> group of teenagers, I noticed a trend in the answers. Females often gave personal answers, aspiring to make a difference to the world or their life like “helping third-world countries as an environmental engineer.” Whereas, the males answered the question in a more general way, responding in ways like “being successful” or “getting the big bucks.” Hearing these answers by my male friends was very disappointing to me, and even though not all men answer in this materialistic way, I am starting to hear it more and more. Why is that Is it because they feel the need to support their family Or they feel that is the only way to show they are successful in life The traditional breadwinner idea is coming back more and more into male society. I feel that some men feel it is their duty to effectively support their future family, might I add, a family they don’t know, in order to feel like they succeeded in their own life. Wealth does not define how successful someone is or isn’t, it is himself/herself that determines it. What amazes me, is that when I was talking to this group of teenagers, one of the “ambitious” guys even claimed that as long as he had bragging rights in terms of wealth, then he is successful, no matter how boring his job is. The fact that some people are so obsessed with being rich and successful and not committing themselves to something that they love and want to passionately pursue really doesn’t make sense to me. I think everyone should try to pursue what the love, and if they love it so much, they will definitely succeed. The Stigma About Male Per<strong>for</strong>mers BY MATT TAUB I’m no athlete. That’s not to say that I’m not a huge sports fan and that I don’t enjoy following, watching, analyzing, debating, and casually playing sports, because I do, but there really is no chance that I can participate at a competitive level as an athlete. So instead, I’ve gravitated toward the arts, and as a student at Horace Mann I feel I’ve found my niche in the Theatre Company. I’ve enjoyed theater ever since I can remember, and to be part of the process of preparing and putting on a show was a thrill in my freshman year. Though I was on no athletic teams last year, I still feel I got a team experience in the arts. It’s not hard to equate an athletic team with a cast and crew: both are groups working hard day in and day out to achieve a goal, polishing their crafts and developing strong bonds in the process. Luckily, students seem to understand this at Horace Mann. I personally haven’t come by any adversity <strong>for</strong> being a guy in the artistic community; I haven’t fallen victim to cliché taunts or questions about my manliness. Why should I (or anyone else) Many of the men whose masculinity we question least are artists themselves, such as Brad Pitt or Jay-Z, men who are envied by other guys <strong>for</strong> their fame, style, and of course their superstar wives. These are examples of men that high school boys everywhere look to emulate and who are fawned over <strong>for</strong> their artistic abilities. Why flock to the movies then flee from the theater It makes no sense, then, <strong>for</strong> a high school boy to be considered un-cool solely <strong>for</strong> being better able to deliver a monologue than to deliver a touchdown pass. And here at Horace Mann, he isn’t. Many of my friends are athletes, and even more interesting, there are many students that are athletes one trimester and actors the next. It’s com<strong>for</strong>ting to go to a school that has a “you can be both” mentality, and even if Horace Mann did not have such an attitude, it wouldn’t make the sentiment untrue. I, <strong>for</strong> example, may not stay after school every day running laps around the field, practicing my jumper, or working on my swing, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t watch ESPN, manage my fantasy basketball team, or lament over a trade I disagree with. The Horace Mann community owes itself a pat on the back <strong>for</strong> respecting individuals and their different interests, likes, and talents - and as discussed above - there’s really no reason <strong>for</strong> any community not to. 6
<strong>horace</strong> <strong>mann</strong> Poll: Leadership, Expectation, and Gender at HM We polled you, the student body, with questions on leadership, expectations, and <strong>gender</strong>. Here’s what your peers had to say. (93 girls, 103 boys polled) Poll conducted by Rebecca Segall 7
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