I have received this very question on many assignments quite similar to this; but I will not regurgitate.  Being American, except for the obvious ‘being born in the United States’ is to wander into situations that one does not fully understand and to adapt nevertheless.  America’s protectionism of the past has completely disappeared since World War II, and with that our narrative of caution.  It is thought of as good, or admirable to go to the Third World in order to build wells and schools; little do the naive young liberals know that they are doing and behaving exactly as young people did during the era of colonialism.  “A civilizing mission”.  We have gone from colonized people to semi-colonial power.  We believe, not erroneously that it is our duty to see the world our country runs.