Y'know, I sometimes thought that, but I think Megan McArdle has the right of it - many times, we are asking the wrong questions (http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/06/wrong_questions.php):

Will Wilkinson, meanwhile, points out that our very attitude about evil is something of an anomaly. In his amazing book, The Elusive Quest for Growth (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0262550423?tag=livefromthewt-20&camp=0&creative=0&linkCode=as1&creativeASIN=0262550423&adid=1GVJTCZGQHBT5C86TCP6&), William Easterly points out that development groups usually ask the wrong question: Why are people (or countries) poor? Poverty is the normal state of humanity. It is our current wealth that is an amazing anomaly.

We are rich, rich beyond kings, just knowing the things we know.