As my plane flew east over the city, headed out over Lake Michigan, I had for a moment the entire city in my view. I could see the genius of the city planners and the importance that waterways used to play. This was my entire world- my sanctuary from the shittification of America- and it looked so small. From the Loop where I work to Schorsch Village where Rat's Nest West is, from Uptown and the Wurlington Bros Press to Hyde park where I like to picnic, this 15-mile square offered everything I needed. The alleys are bountiful and there's always a taqueria within spitting distance. And yet I'm leaving it... why? Because I'm afraid to, I guess. Always a good indication that something should be done.

It occurred to me that the Rat lifestyle of reuse and conservation is probably the norm in most of the world. Many places cannot afford to be as wasteful as us, but would they given the chance? Certainly my Ghanaian flightmates were dressed just like upperclass Americans. There are those who enjoy luxury everywhere. But in the developing world, as in America, that luxury is paid for by the work and the blood of the poor. How can I explain to my new friends that wealth brings only trouble? All the rich I've met are miserable. As soon as you've got it, you need more to be happy.