What if?

What if instead of being the social and industrial leaders of the world,
the U.S. was a nation of greedy, self-indulgent gluttons
who were determined to maintain a ridiculous standard of living
at the expense of the planet’s other inhabitants?

What if we were a nation of arrogant opportunists
who plundered the earth’s natural resources
from less fortunate people with no regard for their welfare?

What if we behaved like irresponsible social adolescents
who kept borrowing air, water, food and energy for today’s gratification
from tomorrow’s finite supply?

The world is fortunate we’re not like that.