What would happen if you took 100,000 people from all over the world of vastly different races, creeds, colors, socio-economic strata, and speaking dozens of different languages - everything from women in complete burqa to openly gay men to dyed-in-the-wool Southern boys to uptight New Englanders and Orthodox Jews - then put them in a rigidly controlled, confined space in 100 degree heat with 100% humidity and made them stand around? Sounds like a recipe for complete chaos, right? Nope - it's Disneyland - well, more specifically, Disney World.

My question is this - how is it that we have so much conflict in the world and, yet, in what should be a crucible for social conflict and anarchy, people are not only pleasant, but kind, generous, helpful, deferential and just plain well-mannered? Talk about a lesson in psycho-social anthropology. Even more, talk about an illustration of ego, and the illusion of politico-social conflict driven by that ego.

We, as a species, by and large appear to get along quite well, even in stressful situations. Yet, Russia is bombing Georgia, the Chinese are repressing religious expression at the Olympics, the Israelis and Palestinians are still at it, Iran is still posturing and the Hague War Crimes Tribunal is in full swing. How much of this is real, and how much of it is a social consequence driven by individuals, rather than whole peoples?

I certainly don't have an answer, but having experienced what I experienced in an environment that was calm, restrained, utterly immaculate and transparent in its governance, I had to ask the question out loud because I am, frankly, baffled.

Voicing the sentiments of one of my traveling companions, "Mickey for President."