It is a well written article and provides an interesting perspective. But American culture is far from homogeneous, and only non-Americans (or Americans in the deep heartlands) would view it as a monolith, global default or not. Yes, a culture can form over a few hundred years when a great deal of ingredients go into the melting pot under extremely high heat, which was kind of the case with the US. But that does not take away the fact that it is a microcosm and one that is still evolving as we continue to attract immigrants from all over. I am not sure if everything American gets adopted and followed around the world unquestioningly as a global phenomenon (especially as new global players gain prominence). Rather, it seems like we are moving towards a more homogenized world assimilating elements from everywhere, and the younger generation seems to care very little as to their geographic or cultural origin.