I suspect that it has more to do with the people in power than a general statement of selfishness vs. selflessness. To give you an example of what I mean: I li

I suspect that it has more to do with the people in power than a general statement of selfishness vs. selflessness. To give you an example of what I mean: I live in a Canadian province where the infection rate is about 1/10th that national average, and nationally Canada has about 1/4th the infection rate of the US. While there are some cultural differences, it seems like a bit of a stretch to attribute the much more positive outcome to the sense of "me" vs. "us". To be blunt about it: politicians in other jurisdictions were not up to the task. I was shocked to hear that many provinces did not impose self-isolation requirements upon entry. I was shocked to hear how few public health restrictions were imposed upon their businesses, even when things started spiralling out of control. When you have a virus to contain, you need someone who will make tough decisions and deliver clear messaging so things can recover in four weeks instead of dragging on for four months (and counting). While local attitudes may have helped to improve compliance with public health measures, it can only play a role when there is something to comply with.