>That difference is the "media" and specifically its new widespreadedness, with television probably leading the way.

I think you make an excellent point about how the Western World is viewed by many, but I disagree that this is new, or that modern media is considerably worse concpetually than pre-modern media like spoken and written language.

>This all has to make us look fat and greedy beyond any possible reason.

Much in the same way that 500 years ago tales that travled back home by Spice Traders from the Far East amazed the Europeans; and the Far East was amazed with the stories about the accomplishments of Europeans.

I'm not positive, but I would imagine that this sort of situation is what motivated human beings for quite a while, going past Napolean, Ghengis Kahn, Alexender the great, and the Egyptian Pharos.