Well said, PerryChase. I know far too many people in America who couldn’t be bothered to visit neighboring counties, let alone other countries. When I’m abroad it always amazes me how much citizens of other countries pay attention to what is going on in the world- they pay close attention not only to their own politics, but also the politics of many other countries.

I’m not sure if that has something to do with the media though, as American media tends not to report on foreign politics (unless it has to do with some fear-mongering subject like nuclear war), while I’ve noticed that news programs in other countries include news from many different nations and cultures in their reports. It can’t all be blamed on the media though, a certain amount of personal responsibility for being aware of the global community that one is a part of is necessary, and certainly is found wanting in most Americans today.

I think the bubble analogy applies not only to housing, but to most Americans themselves- they’re bubble people, living inside their own bubble and totally unaware and uninterested in anything that happens outside of their bubble.