Globalism and my Identity [Yoo, Week 10, Dialogue]

During the discussion, I began to ask myself, Do I fit into the image of a typical American? If I went to a foreign country, would the locals deem me American enough? Or would they find themselves disappointed by how not 'authentically' American I am? I believe identity questions are very important when discussing globalization in society. When I go abroad, it will be difficult to answer a question about my identity. Simply describing myself 'an American' would not suffice at all. Dave made a very interesting remark during class; he was arguing that even in the United States, there are regional differences, and that even within our own country we tend to stereotype and view 'the others' as different. We have different expectations of a New Yorker, or a country hick from middle of no where Kansas. I begin to wonder if it is even possible for there to be an 'American' culture, or if 'American culture' is in the hands of a few people working at the higher ranks of McDonalds and Coca-Cola. Is it 'American cultural imperialism' or is it the imperialism of a select few individuals who reside in America? Or, does McDonalds and Coca-Cola represent us?