++ [ originally posted by Ian ] ++
Everything is more advanced? Like education, social conscience, or multi-culturalism?
Multi-culturalism is a myth. The United Nations once awarded Holland a price (late 1990s this was I think) for successfully having founded a multi-cultural society while in essence, this is just a society with different groups living seperate lives without mutual understanding or respect.
Then in November last year a filmmaker was murdered by a radical muslim for making a critical movie on islam and these different groups erupted in fury: churches, mosques, synagoges and even schools were bombed. People got shot in the street and there was no discussion to be found ANYWHERE.
Multiculturalism, which is in essence nothing more than polarisation, is a curse and should be avoided at all times. Assymilation is the way to go.
Regarding America - It's very easy to focus on the negative points of any person or any nation. But when you think it through; if America were to fall (which will happen one day; god knows if Rome could fall so too will Washington), the successor to their throne would be either China (90% likeliness) or Russia (7% likeliness). I don't know about you but if I had to pick between those three; I'd choose America any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Maybe we ought to remember that more often...