I have said this many times about the UK, where I live. The feeling of entitlement by many is just sickening. My wife is a Filipina and I have been to the Philippines a few times now and the experience is eye opening.

A beautiful country with beautiful people, most of whom really struggle to put food on the table.

It struck me when we befriended a beach dweller and her 2 children. They really are living "hand to mouth" in the absolute sense of the word.

They ask you if you would like a coconut, they climb the nearest tree and cut it for you.

If the husband has been successful with his nets in the shallow waters they may eat that evening. Any surplus will be sold for a few pesos. Give them about 20 peso (about 14p in UK) and they will barbeque it for you. If he has not been successful, they will go hungry and try again the next day.

The other thing you notice, they are a very happy people. Poor but happy. They do not feel entitled, they feel grateful in many cases to be alive.

I believe more should be taught in early school years about the real world and less about the stuff Tom highlights here as trivial.

I think it was Dean Graziosi who said, and I may be paraphrasing here, "if you are complaining about the traffic, you need bigger problems." Well, these 3rd world countries have bigger problems and they seem a lot happier.

Many thanks for this piece Tom. The whole world should read it (well at least the so called 1st world!!!)