I just read this article last night in Time Mag. It was pretty interesting but a little idealistic. They make a lot of good points but they choose the best example in China to compare to the American average.
The Chinese have a great sense of connection between the past present and future and in part that is due to the country being in existence for so long. Americans will never care about the future beyond themselves, there children and grandchildren everything after that is a moot point because we figure 'screw it I'll be dead'.
Not to mention the fact that in the US you aren't bound by what your parents did for a career. The example they gave in the article was that of a guy whose family worked the fields, he overcame the odds and went to the "MIT of China" and got a kick ass job and his response was that he is happy that his family will never have to work the fields again. If my father was a farmer that doesn't mean I have to be one because as cliche as it sounds and as doubtful as a lot of people are about it the US is truly the land of opportunity. Even in this economic crap hole we have gotten ourselves in there is still money to be made, money for college to change careers, and relief programs. China, not so much.
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