[Concerned1]

The problem is this: Greed. When the U.S. comprises only 5% of the world’s population, but consumes 25% of it’s energy output, and divvys up a full 50% of the world’s wealth, something is horribly horribly wrong.

It always amazes me how hospitable and generally uncomplaining people from poor “third-world” countries are as compared to us fat cats who live in the richest countries on earth. Travellers have noted this striking paradox for decades. What is it about money that rots us? We get on the talk-show circuit to complain about how awful our lives are even though, in comparison to the majority of the world, we have nice homes to live, nice neighborhoods and plenty of food in the fridge while millions in those other countries have little to eat and polluted water to drink, and yet generally manage to be much nicer than we are. What’s wrong with this picture?

[Kaj]

We in the West have a wealth of resources, but we are impoverished vis a vis community, solidarity sense of purpose etc.

Its a major contributer to our unhappiness and neuroses as I see it.

As for greed, its the exploitation of our greed which is key. All humans have a bit of greed in them, but we are particularly normalized to it by our culture and by our propagandist rulers. So, even people around you who are naturally considerate and generous still see no problem living lavish lifestyles by relative global standards.

[idiom]

Lol.

[burn0gas]

We in the West have a wealth of resources, but we are impoverished vis a vis community, solidarity sense of purpose etc.

That's almost certainly why the US is so religious compared to any other industrialized free world country. I often hear Americans making strange comments like "my life is meaningless without God". They only have wishful delusions to fill their lives with.