06 September 2002 - 12:20 p.m. OK, so the whole world hates us in the U.S. I wonder if they realize that we have no idea why they hate us so much. We really don't. No one ever says anything either. No one ever explains it. I think the rest of the world believes that there is a finite amount of wealth in the world, and that we have taken more than our fair share. I think they believe that if they destroyed our economy that the wealth we have here would suddenly be freed up for other countries to take, when in fact it would just disappear. They don't understand that wealth isn't just determined by raw materials anymore. Wealth comes from freedom to make wealth. It is not like energy which can neither be created or destroyed. It's more like knowledge. Killing a well-educated person will not make one smarter. The destruction of our economy will not make a poor country wealthier. Some cultures do not believe in freedom the way we do, which is fine, but they need to understand that their poverty is the result of those beliefs, and that our wealth is the result of ours. If a country wants to forego math and writing classes in favor of religious teachings, that's fine, but understand that this will create poverty. You can be a good (member of the religious culture of your choice) and still earn a comfortable living, but you have to have the education and the freedom to do it. Communism collapsed because it removed the incentives and the freedom to create wealth for one's self. Ultra conservative religious governments create poverty because they remove the skills necessary to create wealth. If a people knows every line in a religious book, but has no education in agriculture, they will starve. They will still starve if they manage to wipe out us. I know that it's never going to change, that people around the world will still be shouting, "death to America." I just wish they would realize that our success doesn't preclude theirs. Look at Europe. Look at Japan and Australia. Africa and the Middle East could be just as successful as us and their people could be just as well off, but they won't gain anything by hurting us. Here's a response I got to my editorial: Hey..don't hate me, but I don't think it's the money that makes the rest of the world hate Americans. It's the arrogance and the assumption that USA is the "Greatest Country in the World". I beg to differ. The violence and the ignorance run just as rampant in the US as anywhere else, it's just covered up better. I've been places where the people are nicer, the currency is better, the sense of worldliness is better. I read in Time Magazine, (I can't say quote because I don't remember the author) the world's idea of globalization is the sharing of ideas and getting along with each other and respecting each other etc, and USA's idea of globalization is "OK everyone else be like us". I think that sums it up perfectly for me, a Canadian, who has travelled a lot and seen a lot, and doesn't think the US is the "Greatest Country in the World." Sorry, no offense...:) You see, criticism of the U.S. can be intelligent. It can be more constructive than, "America is the great Satan," and killing people. (0) Comments?