One of the things I thought about when writing "Rainmaker" was how rarely Americans appreciate they are living in a global culture, not an American one, and that American culture, however influential it might be, is parochial, limited by our inability and unwillingness to learn other languages or about other cultures.
Americans still imagine "foreigners" as poor, uneducated "dirt farmers" who have to be "saved" and shown the light of Christianity or Western consumerism or in most cases both.
For example, Senegal, where the novel is set, is a majority Muslim nation but they have nightclubs, bars, cell phones, pop music, markets, etc.
Why wouldn't they?
But Americans are frequently baffled by other countries being "modern," e.g., Iran paying attention to the same Internet meme culture we do, European states having superior healthcare systems, or China being more technologically advanced in many respects.
We imagine ourselves as special and superior when we're not.
@gwynnion Dubai fascinates me. I learned more about European history on Youtube, than in my entire school periods.
Romans, Celts, Ireland... My eyes love to see architecture. Ah Paris. My fav castle-like structures in Scotland.
And so much WWII stuff... which feels like... well. Present day.
Nowhere Girl
Green Roc Thoughts
Gary 🇨🇦 🇺🇦 🇪🇺