Other countries have their problems obviously, but I think too many Americans imagine the rest of the world is just a third world hellhole. That's why if we become a third world hellhole we'll still imagine we have it better than everybody else. And if some suggests otherwise, instead of building a SUPERTRAIN, we'll find another lovely little war to fight. The degree to which a narrative of unsolvable problems, or problems which can only be solved on the backs of the old and poor, has been with us is astounding, given that we are of course the greatest and richest country in the world.