Alyssa's insights are interesting, but not entirely surprising. The West in general, and especially the US, have always been very individualistic cultures. The Chinese (and many other non-Western cultures) do a lot of things communally. While I can see where a lot of people might find it fulfilling, it also leads to group-think, stagnation, and occasionally following horrible leaders like Mao. I can see where a foreigner would find American life scary. Even many Americans are uncomfortable with our freedoms and would rather be told what to do. I do think that many Americans do lead a shallow life though. One thing I enjoyed about Europe, especially Spain, is that when you walk around at night, everyone is out walking around the town square, sitting with friends at cafes, eating and talking. Its not a culture centered around their screen.
