By Inisia Lewis

Who are we as Americans? What exactly is the image we present to the rest of the world? In the months since the attacks of September 11th, Americans have been forced to look at themselves and really figure out who we are and what we want people to believe about us.

Are we the do-gooders we like to think we are, or are we the materialistic, money-driven people we don’t want to be? Wall Street, MTV and Hollywood are all descriptions of who we are. We are governed by business, guided by the daily rise and fall of the stock market, entertained by our multimillion-dollar movies, consumed by the latest fashion trends. It seems as if the average American lives in a fantasy world surrounded by riches and happiness. Has our need to escape to this fantasy world clouded our conception of reality?

American teens are immersed in reality shows, such as “The Real World” and “Road Rules.” We watch 20-somethings residing in amazing places, living the dreams of every average American. The issues on reality TV are not terrorism or death. They are dating, dealing with conflicting personalities and partying. The emergence of television shows, like “Temptation Island” or “Fear Factor” feed on the American dream of beauty and thrill. In “Fear Factor,” a person must bungee jump through a ring of fire to win the game. On “Temptation Island,” four couples test their relationships against manufactured lust and temptation. In reality, these things are implausible - as far from reality as humanly possible. Yet, teenagers stay glued to the tube.

Entertainment isn’t the only thing that clouds our perception of what is “real” about who we are or who we wish to be. Education does the same thing. Education intends to prepare students for college, broaden our wits and intelligence about a plethora of subjects, including other cultures. However, Americans tend to be ethnocentric, saying their views are the best, or their way of life is the right one. Americans tend to be ignorant about other countries. Just because other countries may not be on the same plane economically doesn’t mean that they can’t make a difference in our lives. There are so many places, so many countries and cultures that we don’t know about, that we don’t study in school. Most people had no clue what was going on in Afghanistan before September 11th. Could things have been different if the general public knew more about Afghanistan and their government and their problems? Would things have been different if students were forced to take more classes that focused on current events?

Maybe, maybe not. But one thing is clear: change is necessary to move forward. As Americans, as people, we need to come from behind the shadow we stand in and see that we are not the only ones who matter. The universe doesn’t circle around us. When I visited other countries, such as France or Italy, I witnessed the stubbornness of America. I saw firsthand the reluctance of many Americans to try new foods from a different culture. Instead of trying local restaurants, I saw that many Americans would rather go to French McDonalds or an Italian Burger King.

There are many different nationalities, ethnicities and cultures in our country. Some could argue that it is hard to really decipher who we are as Americans. Yes, we have fallen prey to Hollywood, television, money and commerce. But I truly do believe that most of us are good people who cherish giving to charity and we are committed to the ideas of social justice and caring for other human beings. Maybe if we spread the message and showed how we care for our family, our friends, our community and our environment and try to reach out to the people who need it most then maybe, just maybe we can create an image that we are proud of.