its natural for humans to consider themselves as the "greater beings", because that's what we've been taught all our lives. and as the top notch form of life on this planet, our only option is to compete with each other. most of our social status comes from our job, our salary, new car, new kenmore washer/dryer combination for the wife...i see america as an even more competitive country, slapping the american dream slogan on any action, and that's how our country has been from the beginning: wiping out the native americans through westward expansion and manifest destiny: it is our duty to tame the west, our right to own what is from sea to shining sea..I suppose i stray from the question, i think everyone overestimates how much they really understand