America the Insatiable

Census statistics put the average house hold income in the US at 46-odd thousand dollars. Much of the resentment towards the US focuses on our wealth. It is right to question such a concentration of resources. What is the purpose of accruing so much?

I do not think that it is inherently wrong to be wealthy (by American or world standards) but it does deserve reflection and examination. Too often it seems that becoming wealthy is an ends in and of itself. Money buys things. But if all of our consumption is an ends in and of itself surely the aggregation of wealth by Americans is a hollow pursuit.

For too many people in the world a little bit of material wealth would make a huge difference in their quality of life. So don't waste wealth. Put it to good, noble use.

Much of the criticism of Islamists is that America is the home of the greedy who consume regardless of consequence in an ideological vacuum. I think that this aspect of their spite may be well deserved. After the fall of the ultra-powerful totalitarian state, freedom has become an end in itself and perhaps a justification for overabundance. It's time to find reorient ourselves as individuals towards a greater purpose and ask ourselves as a society, "What do we stand for?"