Only In America

I was struck by a write up in the Economist introducing the “Big Mac Index” – a global equalizer of currency values throughout the world. Of particular interest: the Icelandic krona tops the list as the most overvalued currency. A Big Mac in Iceland will cost you a whopping $7.44. (And it’s not worth it but that should be saved for another debate.) And the most undervalued currency? You guessed it. The Chinese yuan. At $1.41, a Chinese Big Mac can almost qualify for the $.99 value menu.

The fact that a recognized currency equalizer based on the value of a western-born globally identifiable iconic brand even exists speaks volumes about western influence on the world. But I wonder if these western influences will minimize over time? Will we see the day when Asian influences on Western culture emerge? Will they have far-reaching impact similar to the Big Mac Index?