In Reply to: that's kind of my point posted by cliff on Friday, 21. October 2005 at 00:38 Bali Time:
that changed everything, or was it that people perceived the dubious 'advantages' of the West? I suspect that while the level of cultural change their has been extremly it's simply a microcosm of life in any community that has constant contact with a very dominant (& alluring) neighbour.
As for people feeling like Mother Theresa, I help people because I firstly, want to, and as a recognition of my amazing good fortune, to be born in a Western country, have a sufficency of everything, and as a woman, to be born in the 20th Century. Corny as it may sound, I consider it a blessing to be alive today to see the changes. (Although when I get started about IR reforms, and Shrubby, I"m not so sure!)