Americans afraid to leave their bubbles

Hey Joe,

I read the letter from Dean. The "third world" is really not a useful expression anymore. Have you ever been to Oklahoma???? Resting my case.

I'm currently staying in a lovely place in Southeast Asia, outside a big city. I have 2MB+ internet speed, fresher food than you would ever find in the USA. Health care for the locals is paid for by the government. There's no crazy redneck running the country. There is freedom to be who you are here, and much less overt greed on display.

I will only go back to Dallas at some point due to the need for more cash. I suppose the more Americans that stay away from here, the better off it will be -- so I'm glad Americans are afraid to get out of their bubble. I say "they" because the only American thing about me is the passport and thankfully I don't have to return to Amerika to get it renewed.

Gene

P.S. Tell Dean to give The Philippines a miss, or at least do more research.

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Gene,

Me too. The so-called Third World functions at just about the right level for my tastes.

As a reader wrote to me this morning:

"My gut tells me that despite the view that says the peoples of the third world will gradually catch up to our standard of living, I can't help but believe we will gradually "Catch-down" to their standard of living only perhaps without the sense of community which despite their material poverty, they seem to possess."

Yup. I think he nailed it.

In art and labor,

Joe