Laura and I were in the car with all our kids talking about something interesting I had read online about China and some or their seemingly ridiculous cultural behaviors.  The post in question closed with this:

It’s not a land in which the foreigner suffers. It is not a hostile land or a wild land. It is, rather, a land of pointless minor absurdities and wholly unnecessary inconveniences, which coalesce to infuriate the ill-tempered and delight the rest. When I first arrived, I was informed by a nice older gentleman, “FIRSTNAME, do not ever ask ‘why’ here. You can ask yourself any other question, and the answers will enlighten you. But do not ask ‘why,’ because here, there is no ‘why.'” And he was right. The answer–the only answer–to “why” is “because China.”

Much back-slapping was had about other Chinese cultural blind spots, but inevitably the talk turned to why America was superior.  Someone stepped in and posted:

I’m troubled by the attitude exhibited by the original poster, which I find common among Westerners who interact with East Asia (and that includes anyone from casual travelers, long-time expats to even Asian Americans). In a nutshell, the attitude is this: “When I encounter something that is ridiculous and absurd to my Western frame of mind, it must be because it’s actually ridiculous and absurd.”

To which another poster challenged:

Disprove this attitude by providing a counter-anecdote for a theoretical Chinese national visiting America.

Where finally, I offered the following:

“Would you like to supersize your combo meal, sir?”

“Why would I want more food than I can eat?”

“Because it’s only $.50 more. It’s a better value.”

Because America.

There we were in the car, reviewing this debate, and how ridiculous and uniquely american all these super sized for cheaper deals are, when from the back seat a little voice piped up:

“That’s what’s called ‘up-selling’.”

To which Laura and I burst into irresistible laughter at Javier’s brilliant little mind.   The cute question is, “Now what does it say about us that this boy, who at barely 7 years of age KNOWS what upselling is?”  He knows it’s an American thing, he knows it does not make sense.  He knows it is a cultural temptation only relevant to the US.