I have heard folks in other countries accuse the United States of doing everything big to the point of excess. While I think it’s very difficult to form a fair opinion of a country until one has lived in it (and maybe even lived all your life in it), I can understand how at first glance it would be easy to make blanket judgments about Americans.

Stores with literally acres of floor space dot and/or scar the landscape, and are filled with products that nobody really needs.

Executives paid sums only dreamed of by most are slapped on the wrist for bilking millions from unsuspecting investors.

Professional sports stars sign multi-million dollar contracts and endorsement deals, while the average American fan cannot afford to attend a live sporting event, and exercises only enough to walk to the refrigerator.

Hollywood studios crank out big-budget movies that are, for the most part, no more compelling than the movie somebody’s cousin Lou made with a mini-DV and his computer.

Marginally talented but cute singers are given a sound that recording industry insiders believe will sell well, and in turn the radio stations and music video channels owned by huge conglomerates feed a steady diet of it to music fans nationwide. Video, it appears, truly has killed the radio star.

All of the above complaints most often are refuted by one simple statement.

If you build it, he will come.
Ghost voice in Field of Dreams

It seems that in the U.S., residents just can’t wait for that next Kohl’s, Super Target, and, although you might think they’ve saturated the market, Wal-Mart. They want the next Britney Spears clone, their own professional sports teams at home, and God forbid there’s not a vapid summer movie with a $200 million budget. Likewise, they can overlook indiscretions as long as they get paid.

I like most of the above, in moderation. That’s the key, I think. Somewhere, we’ve lost our ability to control ourselves, and we’ve lost all patience. If it doesn’t feel good, doesn’t pay any money, requires deep thought, and we can’t get it right now, then we’re not interested. More and more stores are open 24 hours per day, 7 days a week. We are a culture of consumers, and lately it seems we’re good at little else.

We certainly are not very good at voting. It’s arguably the most important right in this country, but the final night of competition on the televised singing competition “American Idol” garnered as many votes as each of the latest U.S. Presidential candidates. Is this merely because it’s so easy to vote by dialing a phone, or because Americans have more interest in who can sing an old Doobie Brothers song than in who has his hand on the red button? We should be ashamed for not making more effort than that. Many employers allow time off to go vote, and polls are open well past the end of an 8-5 workday.

How do we solve this problem? In true American style, make it big. An Associated Press story on Tuesday reported that Arizona may give voters a chance to win $1 million just for casting a ballot. I can see it already. Those hoping to strike it rich go vote without having considered the candidates, and companies line up in droves to place advertisements in and around the polls. “After you vote, go buy a boat! At Green Marine.”

My rant notwithstanding, there are many great things about our country.

A neighbor from India told me two days ago that it’s about 115 degrees in his native city right now, and that sometimes his parents (who have plenty of money) go without electricity for two or three weeks at a time. It would be absolute bedlam if that happened here in Texas, and I am thankful for the infrastructure demands that we place on utility companies.

Thousands of graduates of our universities and medical schools came here on student visas, so we obviously are doing something right in higher education. Sadly, many of them go back home with their American transcripts instead of staying and adding to the number of educated immigrants.

I’m not aiming this at our country. Rather, I’m pointing toward individuals who, instead of spending time on things that matter, use their collective purchasing power to encourage companies to produce vacuus products — in retail, music, movies, technology, and political candidates.

We need to add another amendment to the Constitution — the right to buy. Buy a fast car, buy a boat, buy a Popeil fish knife, buy an election.

I’m afraid that we are becoming the country who entertains the world, but offers little to improve it.