Is there any other country in the world where people believe in a persons ability to change more than the United States? I mean, I talk with, for instance, Indians and they seem to be slotted for one thing or another from the start. In France, where a person goes to school seems to mean everything; if you don't make the cut by the time your 18 - it's pretty much game over. Caste and class seems to be more important everywhere else I look - even Canada - no one born in Canada can grow up to be Head of State there, since that franchise is held by a bunch of royals. Just seems like in the USA a persons ability to change, to self-define and even to escape streotyping is given way more latitude than anyplace else.