Khandro - //andy; //I am intrigued to hear what your scale is for which cultures match up to your requirements, how you arrived at your calculations,//
Well, I 'calculate' it like this; a culture which encourages and supports a flourishing democratic system of government, with freedom of its press, healthcare and free education for all, with some of the best universities in the world, is somehow better than one which suppresses knowledge and information, keeps its women covered and ignorant and genitally mutilates them, and puts to death by beheading and crucifixion anyone who either thinks differently or criticises them in any way (I could continue at length). //
Did I mention that the sun rose this morning?
No, I thought it obvious enough not to need to be mentioned.
And that approach encompasses your entire post.
I didn't think it necessary to mention the dark side of other cultures around the world, that surely can be taken as a given.
But our culture has its dark side as well. We declare war on other nations and involve ourselves in arms buying and selling. We allow our mentally ill to decline while hospitals are demolished to provide building land, we allow children to live in poverty, we have a drugs problem that is spiralling out of control, and yes, I could continue at length as well!
The point I am making is this - all cultures have their good and bad sides, including the one in which you and I live.
Any right thinking person abhors the negative and destructive sides of any and all cultures.
But the difference between you and I is that I don't hold myself up as being superior - because my culture is far from a shining example in many ways.
So now that you have outlined the blindingly obvious, and I have pointed out that we are in no position to be individually arrogant about the way we live, we can move on.