How does our position in the world shape the way we think about identity, society, and culture?

When we are immersed a specific culture for an extended period of time it changes the way we think about identity, society, and culture. The way companies present their products or services in the media impacts these cultural identities that each person has about their own culture as well other people's culture. American culture is very based upon having material things and having a high status. Many Americans view our culture as the best and supreme to others, eve though this is not the case. For example, McDonaldization explains the crossing of cultures through the famous American fast food industry. McDonald's has successfully moved their business outside the boarders of America and into other countries. Americans have this idea and identity with McDonald's. People see McDonald's as a prosperous example of American ingenuity and a success story in our capitalistic economic system. McDonald's portrays their products and high achievement as ultimate success and the general American society agrees with this. However others do not always see McDonald's as such a great, role model business. Often McDonald's crossing into other cultures can be identified with poor eating habits and spreading Western looks, values, economic practices and use of natural resources. Also the workers of McDonald's will also have a very different view of the company. It is a very labor intensive job that is an hourly paying job. The employees of McDonald's may feel like the working conditions are less than satisfactory or that they do not receive good benefits. The position of someone (for example the worker vs. the consumer) also changes the view of certain aspects of society.