Disputes aside, an aspect I truly love about individual Americans, is that unlike the Brits and Canadians, who usually just bitch about it all, Americans, for all of the ills in their society, have not become cynical and resigned.

It may be sterotyping of the worst order, but usually when I think of truly American ideals, I see Bruce Dern in Silent Running and think, thank God for "boyscouts" and sometimes the boyscouts wear short skirts and high heels alá Erin Brochovich.