Originally Posted by Matt 26z

Here in the US we are indoctrinated from a very early age that the US is the greatest country in the world and that life everywhere else basically sucks. We are however becoming less of a closed society. Things like the internet and certain TV programming have over the past decade have worked to make Americans somewhat more cultured.

It is also highly taboo for an American to talk about ways that other countries are better than us. America has way too much pride for our own good. The result is that 99% of Americans turn a blind eye to the fact that so many other countries have caught up to us in terms of quality of life. They could pass right by us and these blind Americans wouldn't even notice.