What makes Norway more successful than the US?

I think it's the people. Of course, there are bad and good people every where and yes, I shouldn't generalize so much...

But I was sitting on the bus with my ticket which expired a week ago. I decided a while ago I'm going to go as long as possible without buying a new ticket because the bus drivers never check... But I thought to myself (and asked some Norwegians) 'would a Norwegian try to cheat the system like this?' The answer is 'no.' The Norwegians I asked said they wouldn't do it because they couldn't imagine what it would feel like to get caught. I, on the other hand, have already thought of 100 excuses to tell the bus driver... I feel that this breaking of the rules or maybe 'bending' of the rules is something so common in the US. The reason Medicare of Medicaid isn't a strongly embraced institution in the US is because people 'bend' the rules to get extra care... people SEEK ways to take advantage of the system. Norwegians don't do this so much. Of course, the poverty level is much lower here, which gives a smaller percentage of people in the country a reason to seek extra opportunities from the government... but with this being said, where did the US go wrong? Is it that the states really don't have enough control over their own people? Is it that the population is so massive that this 'bending' of the rules I speak of is just so much more obvious?

I'm not really taking sides in the debate that is coming up from this blog, I'm just thinking out loud... The world is truly affected by the US and I have NEVER seen or known that like I do now being in another country. How many readers can name some great viking leader in Norway or even the current prime minister of Germany? All Europeans can name at least 5 great presidents in the US. I'm not saying Americans are ignorant or stupid... I'm just saying there has to be a better way for our country to set an example. Riding the bus with an expired bus ticket isn't the way...