Coming to America

 Inside Wal*mart, there are 28 different types of oatmeal.

36 types of jam and jelly.

18 types of pancake syrup. Only one doesn't contain corn syrup.

103 types of cereals.

44 types of toothpaste.

11 types of margarine

75 types of bread.

52 types of milk.

22 types of bottled water.

I know because I've counted. It might seem like a fools' errand, but these kinds of things are good to know.

If you have ever been out of the country, you know that we are by far the exception in this. The UK, Canada, New Zealand-- all similar, but nowhere near the variety here in the United States.

But get farther away. Maybe Asia, or South America. Africa. Fiji. Mexico.

In Hong Kong, shark fins, and tiger gallbladders. In Fiji, four types of curry powder. In Taiwan, Cheerios that are advertised by a robot in lingerie. In South America, scantily clad women and the Baby Jesus sell everything from cookies to cologne. In Derawan, Kalimantan, there is no chocolates or sweets for sale. In Khachanaburi, Thailand, you will need to point ans ask for what you need behind the counted of a dark market stall. In Santa Marta, Colombia, everything you can think of is sold in tiny plastic bags, in one-use portions, blown up like balloons and tied in fancy knots.

In America we have the obscene advantage of choice. We expect to be given so many choices that making choices is part of our culture. If choice doesn't exist, and things aren't delivered exactly how we asked for them, we get upset.

And it tends to make us bad people.