To an outsider, life in the Canadian part of the Commonwealth that I live in seems almost perfect. I am sixteen-year-old boy whose life revolves around the social politics of West Vancouver, British Columbia. Although I live here I am not oblivious to the monstrosity of trouble that leaks out beneath the mask of perfection. I do not live in a country that supports terrorism, high volumes of crime do not threaten me and I do not live in a developing country that has to cope with mass amounts of starvation and poverty. I am extremely thankful for what I have but there are issues that confront me everyday that are not pleasant and hide the true meaning of what life has to offer us. There is always room for improvement and as for the city of West Vancouver; it is something that many people are looking for.In the high-class city that surrounds me, money and the competition to get it is the driving source behind the lives of many people. Everyone here drives a Cadillac Escalade, a BMW, a Mercedes or the newest craze- a Hummer H2. It is made to seem that you are a better person owning one of these luxury cars. If you have a better car does that mean that you are providing a better life for your family? Some may think yes, but one thing is for certain- it does put up a statement that acts as a social barrier between the rich and the poor. In the city of West Vancouver money is everything, of course there are other things that are important to the community but somehow, no matter what happens the issue of money arises. Fancy country clubs and private schools outline the community. From the outside everyone in these buildings may seem quite pleased and contempt to be living such a luxurious life style- but inside there sits a person who has completely lost their way and has forgotten the true values of life. The issue of money and business versus personality and human quality is immense. It doesn't matter if you are the most shallow, mean, or dense person in the world- if you have money people forget about your terrible personality and love you for the things you have instead of who you truly are. In today's competitive society it is hard not to agree that it has become necessary for human beings to have money in order to live. It is when money becomes the most important necessity in a person lifestyle it turns into a problem. The necessity for money in West Vancouver is an issue I wish I could stop from growing. I know that if it were to stop the people in this city would be better off. Appreciation for family, friends, nature, laughter, art, love and self-exploration would shine through and the importance of money would fade. It is much easier to dream up a solution then to put it into action. I am afraid I am decades too late to stop the mass craving of money and the rise of the un-necessary commercialism of the United States of America. It has oozed into Canadian culture. As long as there are people satisfying the demands for this unfortunate behavior...