>>11809664Vying for social status is how we establish our place in the social order. When hormones associated with puberty increase that is when kids try to peak out and figure out where they fit in the social order.
Now, traditionally there would be adults in the tribe/village/kingdom which would quickly put children in their place. Boys and girls realize where their own strength, intelligence etc. fits in comparison to authorities and this places them in the social hierarchy. They quickly become humbled and accept their place which in turn also grants them purpose and happiness.
The problem is that modern American teachers are some of the absolute worst examples of adults on the planet. They lack both maturity and authority from being an underpaid underclass. Children quickly realize they are better than their teachers in most ways and this leaves children to establish their own hierarchies which are more extreme than those found in the real world. This is what leads to bullying and widespread depression. Similarly it also leads to a host of other psychological issues when these individuals leave their highschool bubbles and realize they are suddenly much lower on the social order than they realized at university or in the workplace.
The (expensive) solution to this would be to increase the minimum requirements and salary of teachers (such as the system in Scandinavian countries). Another (cheaper) solution would be increased contact of pupils with industry and the real world by incoporating them into work programs and apprenticeships earlier (such as Germany and Switzerland does).
More sports in schools wouldn't hurt either.
