My belief is that the US freedom for curiosity is a side effect of being wealthy post WW2 relative to the other countries. The extraneous buffer allowed people to party through college and still make a living but is non-competitive when everyone else is actually learning. (at an accelerated rate due to the internet)
The globalization theoretically works both ways but most Americans aren't willing to live like kings in some other country due to cultural differences, perhaps even a disdain for other cultures. Safety is also often a concern, but overblown as the US is actually very unsafe due to its gun culture. The true value of a dollar on the international scene isn't revealed as most Americans are limited in how they can use their dollar.
The globalization theoretically works both ways but most Americans aren't willing to live like kings in some other country due to cultural differences, perhaps even a disdain for other cultures. Safety is also often a concern, but overblown as the US is actually very unsafe due to its gun culture. The true value of a dollar on the international scene isn't revealed as most Americans are limited in how they can use their dollar.