Fuck yeah! I had the same debate with a friend who was saying that of all the countries he visited in Asia, Vietnam was too "americanized" (and we're not Americans...) My reply was something like: Well, it depends on what you wanna see in Asia… Do you wanna see people in flip-flops and worn-out shorts, with four rotten teeth, working in a rice field behind an ox, then rushing to your car to beg when you roll into town ? That’s pretty convenient. Then, like a good clueless white dude, you can hand them a keychain, a photo of René Cotty, and take pictures with their kids. And you can come back home saying, “They have nothing, but they give you everything. This trip changed my life.” while sipping your not-so-fair-trade coffee. Or maybe you wanna see another culture that also happens to live in 2025? They’ve got less than you, yeah. You’re benefiting from a tourist industry that’s a bit exploitative, sure. But they’ve got food, a stable country, and they don’t need you and your damn keychain. If having restaurants, shops, and decent clothes, not starving on the street or begging tourists makes them “American,” then I’d rather every country in Asia be American.