I am posting it again because I am interested in your response as I am anyone else who is following this exchange.

Our collective impact on the rest of the world, our foeign and domestic policies instituted by our legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Our "society" as I see it is a broad term meant to describe our comprehensive attitudes in pop culture, the media, and majority-view belief systems. There are individual sects in "society" that have their own agendas which do not subscribe to the "norm", but those voices are rarely heard or seen by the majority of our country. You seem to live in a fantasy land of ivory towers and learned peoples. Our country is not filled with educated thinkers who take a rational approach to life. They work, they eat, and they want entertained - that is it. The establishment (loose term for government and media) give them what they want in sugar coated fashion which perpetuates our apathetic approach towards thought and logic. You say I am not logical, smart, or thoughtful (I am paraphrasing of course), but I have eyes and ears and can wade through the B.S. that has been belched forth from the powers that be. Maybe that is the way it has to be, but like I said - I am idealistic, it comes with youth I suppose.

It wrote -
"It's not ours to control. It's not one society. "

What is not ours to control? The government? The media? We are in this together, aren't we? Maybe I am not on your intellectual level with this but aren't we striving to become one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Maybe you could clarify your definition of society to me and your pluralistic view of it so I may be able to understand your point (if there is one).

It wrote -
"What was Japan doing in 1853 when Commodore Perry sailed in? "

Whose Japan? There was surely social stratification in Japan in the 1850's wasn't there? I suppose Japan as a whole was eating, sleeping, defecating, and reproducing like all the rest of the organic world. My point was that our influence on the rest of the world has consequences, maybe they are not realized except through hindsight - I don't know.

Do you agree with all American foreign policy or do you just love playing devils advocate? Where is your stance on this issue besides poking holes in everyones elses comments. Do you have any opinions? Or are you afraid to throw your views to an angry mob which will certainly pounce on them.

Sincerely yours - Scott