I’m not commenting to support your approach to this, but your comment about dignity hit home for me. I’m an American who recently traveled to Scandinavia for the first time. There is something wholly different about the feel of the culture over there, even in mundane everyday details. I was seeing levels of dignity and respect (for self as well as others) that I am NOT used to here.
Over here I’m used to pride, competition, and indifference to the plight of others.
Over there I observed dignity, cooperation, and well, dignity.