The world is an interesting place. Unfortunatly most people in the U.S. (and mostlikly other countries) have a very narrow, centrist view of it. This myopic vision is a dangerious thing. It leads the world into most of its problems. Fortunatly hackers are explorers, open to new ideas and info. They can use this open architecture of there mind to reach out and understand the feelings and views of others that may or maynot share their country or culture. This is a powerful thing that can be translated to power, wealth, and freedom for those that can understand this.
Experiance, the act of doing is the most powerful way to learn. Traval and contact with the world has no substitute. One who has travled, lived like a native in many lands, is a very wealthy man indeed.
Reading is the cornerstone of understanding, overshadowed only by experiance itself. Reading is a good way to gain prespective and be informed of anothers ways and views. It is a way to gather ideas to let fester in ones own mind, to select and make the most of experiances, and to step into a anothers mind.
Armed with knowledge, go out and do. Don't just sit. There is a world of many experiances to experiance. Life doesn't end at the TV Set, Computer, and Job. The United States of America is not the only countery in the world and being American doesn't make you better or worse than anyone else in the world, just different. Explore these differences. Explore life and live.