I've given this assignment my utmost attention, maintaining a covert operation for an extended period of time above and beyond the call of duty in order to ensure that the report I submit is the most accurate and concise version available. You've instructed me to spy on America's young citizens, report their habits, interaction methods, and produce a cultural report indicative of this demographic. So I've gone to a local college for my research, and what I've discovered is that with more emphasis than competing for survival, young Americans are inherently and vainly predisposed to competing for status, utilising any possible available means.

Looking at what the American young adult is wearing, it is evident that there is an unconscious competition between the different dress styles. Some of these styles include the neat look, the baggy look, the tight look, the underdressed look, the jewellery' sticking'out'of'every'orifice look, and the jewellery everywhere else look, and last but not least, the sloppy look. Fortunately or unfortunately depending on your own particular taste, there are varying degrees of each look which lend credence to the status'seeking theory.

Transportation seems to be a valued asset when competing with peers for status. It seems, for instance, that a sports car (which in the United States is supposed to equate to having money) is the way to go. That said, there still is the occasional sighting of a kid driving laps around the busiest campus block in a Chevy Z'71, or some other new and large pick'up truck. Typically, the vehicle boasts five coats of aqua'green paint under three clear coats, and the driver spends time eye'balling every pretty girl he sees in tight shorts while ignoring the smiling one in the passenger seat sitting next to him. Too bad for the seemingly underprivileged guy: He is cursed to drive around in a rusted '74 VW, or some other relic greater than 10 years old. He's too ashamed to drive around the busiest block on campus. Girls rarely favour him because no average girl would be caught in a car like that, since her friends wouldn't approve of it.

Next on the list of status seeking symbols is music. First of all, it's got to be loud. Whether in a car or in a campus dorm, loud music is a statement: 'Stand up and take notice of the system I've got!' It truly isn't an issue whether or not others might be annoyed or disturbed, or that the type of music may not appeal to everyone. And, it's for this reason that there seems to be an unspoken rule: If you don't like the music that's being played, then increase the volume of your own and drown those rivals out.

To gain better insight into interaction methods, I began watching television as religiously as our young Americans do. This proved to be most enlightening. I've discovered that America's young adults mirror much of the behaviour, dress styles and even male/female relationships seen on television as a guideline for what constitutes status. Since I've previously discussed clothing, vehicles and music, I'll refrain from referring to these topics again except to reinforce that the cultural norms and status symbols seem to be determined by the most popular television shows.

The interaction methods mirrored are, if you'll allow me to interject my own opinion, quite shameful. It seems that females need the approval of other females when choosing clothing, cosmetics and even sexual partners. For America's young females, the choicest male cuts must look as if they belong on a daytime TV show. When choosing a partner, all females must be in agreement as to the relative 'cuteness of his butt' (a.k.a as one's gluteus maximus). Eventually, the sum result of a female being seen with a guy in possession of the cutest butt will equate to a higher status for her within each female friendship circle.

On the other hand, when interacting with females, the young American male need only secure approval from his loins when contemplating a brief sexual encounter. I've discovered evidence that these males tend to regularly seek out young females who appear 'easy'. Males then, upon conquering a female will often brag to their own friends, thus gaining perceived status within their male friendship circle.

An important aspect of any culture is religion. In the United States young Americans relish the gift of religious freedom. To many of them, this means only that they do not have to go to worship services if they do not so desire. Many young Americans seem predisposed to a belief in and need for God only when their lives or the lives of their loved ones are in jeopardy. It's then and only then that they pray. For the many young adults who do regularly attend worship services, the status'seeking theme seems to be reinforced once again, in clothing, cosmetics and in assessing who's with who.

Status seeking reinforcement occurs naturally in young American culture. Those who do not conform to seeking status are often isolated and alienated. Some young Americans are even labelled as being different, and are thus entitled to the occasional harsh word or two. Consequently, fights may occur when a status seeking person decides to make status gains by doing more than just yelling a few harsh words. As a matter of fact, he or she may impose him or herself upon a labelled person and this imposition would be condoned by most other status'seeking individuals. Whether or not the actions are justified doesn't matter in the status'seeking circle.

The culture of the American young adult is a complicated issue that can be better understood by watching American television. It is there that you can find the status goals that they yearn for. The goal of one person having more status than another is unheard of in most cultures where the goal of simply surviving is paramount. However, in America, the land of plenty, survival seems to come secondary to status. During the entire length of my stay here in the United States, I haven't heard anyone complain that they didn't have anything to eat, or that they were almost dinner for a tiger. What I did hear were things like, 'Darn, I broke my nail!' and 'How much did it cost to pierce your nose?'

The summation of my cultural report is that if you want to blend in here in America, you had better be ready to compete for status.

Daniel Taverne is a legally blind veteran who resides in Northeast Louisiana. He has a background in bricklaying, Occupational Therapy and writing. Daniel's poetry can be read at www.poetrypoem.com/simplepassions