slackassassin

Listen to locals who have lived there their whole lives.

This is just not true. It is not absolute nor ubiquitous like that. I think the commenter was right who said it is the view from TV and the internet. A funhouse mirror version of some true things taken as reality.

The US is large, diverse, and has a ton of cultural influence from all over. Micro and macro. An amalgam. Mass production and corporate influence notwithstanding, surmising that it is one bad thing is very simplistic and limiting.