In America we have so many movies and so much media about the Islamic world the sub-continental world but it's not a conversation it's a monologue. It's always from one point of view. 'If we don't tell our own stories no one will tell them' is my mantra.
A conversation is a dialogue not a monologue. That's why there are so few good conversations: due to scarcity two intelligent talkers seldom meet.
The writer crafts their ideal world. In my world everyone has really long conversations or just picks apart pop culture to death and everyone talks in monologue.
American influence in the world is certainly considerable but the United States does not control directly or indirectly the politics and economics of other societies as empires have always done save for a few special cases that turn out to be the exceptions that prove the rule.