These are extremely rough thoughts in about a 5 minute break at work so excuse the randomness - but I do think the implications could be worth thinking about.

What if we set up an extensive spreadsheet that would comparitively quantify the individual consumption of the average U.S. citizen against the 'rest' of the world.

It could be based upon both broadly and acutely structured things like potable and non-potable water usage, foods, annual fuel and gas consumption, acquired wealth - including relative property values, etc, etc,etc. but it should also factor in the currency differences in worldwide markets and what the same amounts would 'buy' you in many places. Yes, I realize that some things may turn out to be incomparable because they are completely 'relative' but I do think enough items could be gathered to make a fair identification.

And it could give us a quantified 'result' in some interesting manner - say in "# of Lives Lived"...

I propose that given our current rates of consumption, we would probably be somewhere in the neighborhood of  an average, 10 Lives Lived. Perhaps more, perhaps less. But I dont think the fun would be found there, I think it would get much more interesting when you stacked up a few popular figures like Gates or Buffett and maybe throw a Mark Cuban in there for good measure and all of the sudden you have people with something like 10,000 or more Lives Lived.

Like I said, rough, but a perspective. What do you think about the figure I am guessing. Way low or high?

A topic...simply because U.S. society is such an epically vacillating creature.

Why is it, that spanking a child is now termed 'abuse' in many instances? Whereas ‘medicating’ them into conformation, or submission to authority with powerful drugs, is not?

Is it just an age or season of different practices, simply because it’s what we think is right ‘for now’?

I certainly do not take it lightly that the wrong kinds or amounts of discipline can easily alter the well being of a future adult.