[Miisa]

Yes, I'd say he is largely painting an image of what he saw in suburbia, and even says so. He was talking about his experience there, and wrote about what he knew.
"In more than seven years of life in America, I have come to value - to love, actually - the stolid, sunny, unchallenging, simple virtuousness of the American suburban psyche."

I also stayed in suburbia when I was in the states, and found myself nodding several times when reading his words.
The perspective may be limited, but it is what he had as a reference point.

Defensiveness is all right, I was just a little puzzled. But I guess it is understandable.