So much of my existence is consumed in being an American. When I travel, I don't feel so much as an American but more of a human. A human who shares things with other humans, no matter where they reside on the earth, even if it's only breathing, eating and sleeping. We are all the same species and we are all here to do basically one thing: to live. To survive in our surroundings.
As an American, I am blessed because surviving can be summed up in the avoidance of 5:00 traffic. Think about the people who cannot leave their homes, who have no homes for that matter. Surviving and living are two very different things in those circumstances. And this is 2/3 of the world. 2/3 of the world is not as lucky as me or my many American neighbors. 2/3 of the world lives in extreme poverty without food, shelter, peace. 2/3 of the world has no concept of the life I lead, or that a life like mine is even real.
The Internet and television has changed this in countries with communism. We have learned this from the iron curtain, from history in general. People living on one side see how others live on the other side and want that same life, or at least the chance at it.

In a way, we really are just animals. Animal Farm style. Survive anyway you can. No matter what it takes.