> and was told it was a necessary condition for US prosperity That's an interesting perspective. I live in Europe, and I don't reckon anyone thinks that way he

> and was told it was a necessary condition for US prosperity That's an interesting perspective. I live in Europe, and I don't reckon anyone thinks that way here (which doesn't mean it isn't true). On a flight once I got talking to a rich-looking businessman from Hong Kong and I explained anyone who's ill can go to the doctor where I live, even if they're poor. The HK guy was really surprised, he basically explained to me society couldn't work like that, if there was no fear of being poor what reason was there to put in the hard work needed to avoid poverty, and to elevate the society? He'd obviously really bought into that, he basically didn't really believe me that you could have a rich functioning society where the poor e.g. get basic needs met like healthcare. It was interesting to me - if his whole worldview led him to believe the place where I lived couldn't really exist, what other beliefs do the rest of us have which are completely wrong?