hey becka - i know exactly how you feel. unlike you i feel those things more when i am psychotic/manic/depressed, but i know what you mean. culture can be a hard thing to deal with, but at the end of the day no one can change everyone in the world around but i guess we can all learn to live with it and just rise above it i think.

as the old cockney saying goes "where there is muck, there is brass" - it's true. try not to focus on the awful stuff, there is good stuff out there too, if you look for it

good luck, keep your chin up xxx