It has been something of a crazy ride for the people of the United States these past five years. Brutally awakened from the somnolence of a seeming Golden Age of indomitably by the terrorists of 9/11, we’ve had a new worldview thrust upon us that we’re still grappling with.

While it may be futile to try to generalize the feelings of 300 million people, there are some basic facts about the American experience that are knowable. Despite a few isolated cases of aggression against those of Middle Eastern or Islamic background, by and large the peoples of the U.S. of A. seem to intuitively grasp that this heinous act was the work of a fringe group, and there was very little evidence of any stirrings of real or prolonged anti-Arabness in this country.

That said, we were susceptible to the machinations of mad King George II, who was able to stir up nationalism and exploit it on his crusade into the heart of Araby. He was able to ride the tide long enough to be re-elected by the largest majority of votes in modern American history. What was the world to make of all this? Had the people of this country become overwhelmed by fear and hate? Had the redneck voices calling for war on the ‘camel jockeys’ and ‘towel-heads’ taken over the national view?

The answer came in November 2006, when the enfranchised masses ‘threw the bums out’, getting rid of the Republican majorities in both houses that had made it so easy for our fearless leader to exert his will. There was—and is—considerable frustration over the seeming inability of various sects in places like Iraq or Palastine to see what’s in their own best interests: peace. But there is also a measure of self-awareness at our own complicity in the whole matter, not to mention our own susceptibility to propaganda.

So: Americans, despite occasional delusions of grandeur and a history that includes slavery, seem able to not just tolerate, but to embrace the foreign, the new, the outsider, as few others. One explanation for this can be found in United State’s founding documents’ institutionalization of tolerance and respect for the individual. Another is that we are indeed the ‘great melting pot’ made up almost entirely of immigrants.

Just what does this have to do with the automotive industry? Simply that these liberal views don’t just apply to peoples or nations, but the cars and trucks Americans buy as well. We’ve shaped a market that is more open than most to better product, and less driven by concerns such as national pride or hype. A clear example of this is Toyota and its Lexus and Scion divisions.

Few would accuse such mainstream sedans like the Camry of blatant sex appeal. Yet year after model year it’s chewed up the domestics’ once untrammeled turf, becoming American’s favorite car, and helping its parent company surpass Chrysler for the number three spot in sales as a company in the U.S. It is also clear that Toyota will soon surpass Ford for the second spot on the hit parade, due to the inevitable success of the just-released full-size Tundra pickup.

Lexus didn’t even exist as a brand until seventeen years ago. Many of us remember the arrogance of the German prestige brands, and their assertions that the Asian upstart would never be a viable alternative to their hallowed marques. How times change: from a no name without history Lexus has surged to American’s favorite high-end brand. My countrymen were open to something new and better than the establishment, and the Relentless Pursuit of Perfection became a blueprint for year on year sales records. This applies as well to the entry-level Scion division, whose funky and functional product mix—of only three models—has made it one of the best selling import brands after only three model years.

So as the Detroit 3 continue to shed market share, workers, and market valuation, while Toyota goes on to record profits (the company could buy GM and Ford out of cash reserves and still have billions left), and will be expanding from six factories in the Americas to somewhere between twelve and fifteen over the next several years just to keep up with demand.

A less open-minded people almost certainly wouldn’t have driven this kind of success, and it’s a clear indication of how Americans think not just about other peoples, but the vehicles they purchase as well.

What’s both exciting and comforting is that the peoples of the Middle East share these values as well. This is evident in the choices they make about their own car purchases; factors such as fitness of purpose, ability and durability, coolness and sexiness, determine the success of brands selling there. Perhaps we’re not so different after all.

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