Matches, those little bits of wood or paper, have a different culture surrounding them in different countries. For example, in Ireland, matches are never free. They cost about 10p a box and book matches are very rarely seen. Even bars sell them to you...

In America however, one can walk into a petrol station (gas station) and pick up a book of matches for free, and there are usually a bowl of them at every bar. And the good places will always have cool designs on them so as to make them almost collectable.

So, the argument is, is it better to be in a culture where you can use the line "Have you got a light?" as a starting point for a conversation, or to be in a culture where matches are flimsy bits of paper which invariably tear or burn you when you try and light them, but they're free and they look good??