Quote Originally Posted by MeghanWalker View Post
Well Idk...There are enough movies, tv shows, and books that give a glimpse, even if it is small, of what normal American life is like. I think it's pretty obvious, given our huge role in making of movies and our grip on the media, that Mickey Mouse and Big Macs isnt the only side of America that is shown to the world.

The second paragraph if what you wrote is very sad but true.
Even if they were briefly exposed to what "normal American life" is like, that doesn't mean it's the overall impression they walk away with. I think you underestimate the power of marketing and the power of suggestion! It is the loud noises that people hear and remember. It's the shocking visual images that they see and remember. And it's the odd cultural differences that form their perceptions of who we are. The same is true all over the world. It's not like they study all facets of American life and intentionally form a well-educated opinion about what they think our country is like. Some probably do, but in general, the 'masses' don't. They just get bits and pieces of America, and it sticks in their minds.

Heck, I even remember when I was in high school, two kids moved down here to Texas with their family. They were shocked and disappointed that we didn't all ride horses and have oil wells in our yards. They truly were under the impression (thanks to Hollywood) that that's the way Texas was. Never underestimate the power of television to completely bastardize a culture for entertainment purposes!