The provided text, "Capitalism: The Root of Teen Stress," argues that the pervasive mental health crisis among American teenagers is not merely a matter of individual stress or poor coping skills, but rather a direct and inevitable consequence of the capitalist system. The author contends that from a young age, children are indoctrinated into a competitive, production-focused culture through the education system, which prioritizes grades and achievements over genuine learning and creativity. This pressure extends into early adulthood with the burdens of debt and exploitation in the job market, further exacerbating stress. The piece also criticizes the corporate commodification of mental health solutions, asserting that these superficial fixes fail to address the systemic causes of teen anxiety and depression, ultimately advocating for dismantling capitalist structures to truly alleviate this suffering.

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