Prom

You claim that if it weren't for prom, teens probably wouldn't drink or do drugs. The use of drugs increases even after high school. Why do you think people always say "I experimented with it in college (marijuana) or MDMA." Drinking is heavily intertwined into college parties. Even if you don't drink at prom, you will most likely drink later on. You seem to take a liking the my use of "discourages." Let me ask you this. During the cold war, the US and the Soviet Union built up stockpiles nuclear weapons to "discourage" the other from not attacking. What happened? No direct war actually happened. Well the scare tactic indeed does work, however I do agree with you that it will not "completely" stop alcohol use at prom. I assumed this this debate was just about what happens at prom and not what happens thereafter, but I guess I'm wrong with that assumption. Majority of people after prom just go eat out then go home. The majority of people who DO GO to after parties most likely already knows that alcohol is there and already made up their minds on that. Does the choice of the few decide the faith of the majority? Proms have been around as early as the 1920s, but then it moved down to a younger age (high school) in the 1950s. I highly doubt that prom became the "MAIN source of profit for a LARGE portion of the economy." Those with money blindly spend their money, those who don't spend it carefully. Renting a tux or even dresses during prom is ridiculously packed at times. Many times, the style you want is already taken. Again this is generalizing about people refusing to rent clothing and I must go to my point of those with money will spend more than those who don't. The sales do help the economy more than you think. Prom generates jobs indirectly. For example, there's the marketing section that promotes the store. Then there's the manufacturing and sewing of the clothing. After the clothing have been brought, many people who did buy their clothes pay for altercations. The event usually takes place in some kind of hall, so you have people who maintain those halls for use. The list goes on simply past the layer of the companies who profit from sales. You say that we, the regular workers see little or raise in pay or benefits from prom sales and the rich owners and shareholders benefit from that money. It's not just prom that generate profits for these companies. If regular workers received an increase in pay or benefits every time there is a major event going on, they wouldn't be regular workers and be making a substantially more higher income. The fact that the rich will get richer and the poor becomes poorer isn't just for prom, that's just the world in general. Agreed that money going to places like donating to the poor is a good thing, but I disagree on teens having a better memory knowing that their money is going to the homeless youth finding shelter. If that was true, then I should be seeing teens after school donating money every time I see someone in a white suit collecting money outside of fast food joints. Majority of teens, heck even the population do not donate because they rather keep and spend their hard earn money for themselves. In theory would idea is kind, but this just isn't what happens. Lastly, we all have different experiences with our peers. As for those who tried to convince their fellow students to go and "not respecting the decisions of people who choose not to go initially." I would like to think of it like a debate you and I are currently having. Do you respect your friends decisions when they say they don't feel like going out for a drink after they broke up with someone? Sometimes you do, sometimes you don't. But they are still your friends. Respecting someone's decision is subjective between friends and how to interact with each other.