Globally Speaking

The United States has always been a magnet to immigrants, and today our culture continues to become ever more diverse and colorful. As we learn to appreciate the fascinating mixture that is American society, it seems only natural that we should be able to apply our domestic experience to the diversity of the outside world.

When we see the ubiquity of our popular culture (fast food, jeans, music, movies, and more), it is easy to imagine that the whole world is becoming Americanized.

This is an illusion. Our diversity has a unique character that bears a "made in the USA" stamp. When we gaze across the ocean, we are not seeing a reflection of ourselves. This illusion is reinforced by the spread of technology and the use of English as an international language.

We shouldn't assume we understand others' situations based on a projection of American reality. One of the quickest ways to provoke people's resentment is by trying to persuade them that we know the answers to their country's problems. We may even invite a sharp criticism that exposes some of our unresolved problems such as homelessness, racism, violent crime, or contested elections, all of which they have heard about through their own media.