[Tito Jackson]

[ QUOTE ]
Why is the assumption that achieving a doctorate from an American university, getting married, etc. the best way of life? Assuming this person could have lived a life in his home country w/o his family's death, is the American way of life really so much better than his?

[/ QUOTE ]

I wasn't trying to imply that the American way of life is the ideal. I was just using his (my professor's)life experience as a view from the "have-nots" perspective and that it isn't uncommon for many people in the U.S. to take some things for granted and be praised for it.

Again, not specifically commenting on the ITW character as I didn't know him personally and have yet to see the movie but if someone I loved and cared about just disappeared and removed themselves from society without any consideration for their loved ones then I would view that as a somewhat selfish act. If you have some sort of ideology that drives you to leave your friends and family and go live in an Astrovan then that's your perogative. It IS your life, but whether we like it or not our lives affect other people's lives as well.