Culture: The Big External Influence 51
super-typical “must” be right, their image is the image of what it
means to be American, not only to us, but also to the rest of the
world as well. Arabs in Iraq watch the Brady Bunch—I know this
for a fact and have also heard it from Army buddies who have
served there in the most recent war. Imagine how repeated expo-
sure to the Brady kids’ sibling rivalry and family vacations in
Hawaii affects how Iraqis view Americans. No wonder they’re a
little surprised when someone who looks like Peter Brady comes to
their door with an M16 strapped to him.
Now, let’s move to the influence of super-typical on the typical,
but on a smaller scale.
One factor that contributes to the different forms of response
is the influences of sub-groups within a culture. Why are Texans
seen as brash by other fellow Americans even though we’re all
part of the “same culture”? Their heritage and accomplishments
shape behavior patterns. Texans carved an environment in the
wilderness from nothing, rounding up their cattle and introducing
organization where there was none. They claim the distinction of
being the only American state to ever be an independent nation.
The super-typicals of Texas, such as Stephen Austin, Sam Houston,
Davy Crockett, and Jim Bowie earned larger-than-life status. So
Texans have an ingrained pride about being tough; they are a force
to be reckoned with and traditionally have a fierce sense of entitle-
ment. Add to that the fact that many of the original immigrants
were Germans, who have a guttural language that people from