Why do American's do this?

I am also an American. My dad was not born here but my mother's family has been here for many, many generations.

I see a lot of what you are talking about and, like someone else said earlier, I also think tv is to blame in large part. When you have shows like The Fabulous Life of..., Cribs, The Hills, and My Super Sweet 16 where they glorify people who live in gluttonous excess it sends a message that that is "the good life" and especially influences young people to aspire not to work hard to contribute to improve their communities but instead to own big extravagent energy wasting houses, drive gas-guzzling suv's and own the latest electronic devices just to say they have it.

I wouldn't say ALL Americans are like this but the mind frame of ENTITLEMENT is most certainly prevalent in this country. Everything is "me first" and there doesn't seem to be any thought for the golden rule where you should love others as you love yourself but rather to steam roll over whoever you have to to get what you want.

Many, many members in my family have devoted their lives to working to improve living and working conditions for the underpriveledged in this country and in other countries and that way of thinking and that kind of devotion to their fellow man has been passed down from previous generations. My Granmother grew up a poor farm girl and even when she had her own family they didn't have a whole lot of money, but my grandmother still managed to always have extra food to give to a neighbor that might not have enough to feed her own children.

As a society we don't even get to know our own neighbors anymore much less bother to find out if there might be a neighbor in need. Parents lead by example so when they are apathetic to world and community issues and place importance on "gotta have it" we can't expect that their children or grandchildren are going to care about anything else, either.

What I will never understand is why so much importance is placed on attaining the latest, greatest, biggest, fastest, shiniest, most popular whatever the newst thing is. Once you get it there's something else that's newer and better and then you MUST HAVE that. And whether you live to be 100 years old or die tomorrow all it becomes is your waste. Whatever deity you believe in, when you die YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU! But many people don't understand that it's what you DO in life that it important, not what you HAVE.

Why do you assume that it has to be one or the other? I know a lot of people who do both, or use one to do the other.

For example, you can't vote everyday, but you can watch the news every day, and read blogs about campaign debates and political issues, and share your opinions with others.

Or let's say you spend one night a week getting your finances in order - tracking receipts, paying bills, etc. That leaves you the other nights to relax and be entertained.

Sure, a lot of people are oblivious or uninformed. But a lot of people ARE engaged one way or another. And it has nothing to do with their nationality - you'll see this is any country in the world.

The irony is that you yourself are here, ranting and complaining online and getting nothing done, instead of getting out there and actively educating people on the issues that are important to you. Perhaps you can see the attraction in these "time-wasters" after all?

Research the 60s-70's era. They tried to get involved and they got beat down by the government. Ever since then - people could give a crap what goes on anymore, because we know it CAN'T be changed unless they want it to. Our government sucks!

They are important things to you. I have more important things to think about and do. Like putting clothes on my family back, putting food on the table, and raising a family. Those things are for people who have too much time on their hands. Tell that bs to the rich!!!

American TV is the modern opiate.

Its a addiction the people in power depend on so they can to brain wash us.

Blogging about fashion, celebrities, and such is a by product of the American media.

When people from other countries don't blog, have no homeless, don't rob, rape, steal, and kill others, are financially stable, don't watch TV, and are not influenced by pop culture then you might have a point. But as it stands, you are wrong.

Beauty of America is we are free to do what we want WHEN we want and HOW we want within certain laws. Just because you think your particular issues are important, doesn't mean I need to follow you.

Thats easy they're lazy.