Extremely interesting story and views, thanks so much for sharing! I've always been wondering about similar questions / experiences, and I might say it even gets worse and worse - it seems to me that there are not many people really thinking about basic questions, at least not in so-called western societies (which are the ones I live in and experience). This includes thinking about the meaning of "poverty" or - seen from a different angle - what really is essential to live. Here in Germany it seems that freedom, the liberty of being able to use a fair amount of your time for whatever you like and not having to fear for your basic needs like a warm place to stay and food and water has become completely "worthless" to many, and I've experienced myself that people consider themselves poor because they can't afford a second (!) TV for the bedroom. I would really like to send more people to as many different societies and countries as possible, because I've always sensed that a lack of "different" input and views is really a huge problem. As far as I am concerned, I guess I do indeed have a very different view because of where I come from, or rather my parents and grandparents came from. After WWII, they all had to start over with nothing (they had been quite well off before, all being farmers with their own land), and having a house (with about 100 square meters for 6 people, and of course a huge mortgage) was luxury. It was luxury in my view, too, until I learned that practically everybody else in secondary school had even "richer" (grand)parents. But what stuck with me until today is the question: What does one really need? My grandparents didn't have a landline until the mid-1980s, and they didn't have a car, and having a TV was a big deal. All this had a huge influence on me, I believe, among many other things. It doesn't mean there are no problems in "developed" countries, but people seem to focus on consumerism and if they are able to buy this and that instead of what I consider to be much more important, e.g. being free, being able to do things that are useful, helpful, thoughtful. Although I totally agree that it is of course possible to gain knowledge if you want to without traveling the world or having friends or family as "examples", I still think it makes a huge difference.