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In my experience of having lived in this country for 26 years, and the people I have met here along the way, as well as my own personal views, I think most people in this country don't care one way or the other about being "Canadian". It's strictly a legal demonym. Unlike my understanding of the American idea of "nationality" (and there are other countries like this as well), people in Canada don't see their nationality as some deep, intrinsic, philosophical, extension of themselves as people. In my opinion, this is what is inherent in the American ethos. You're not just someone who happens to live in the United States, you're an American. As if to say, that if they were born somewhere else, they'd be entirely different people. That being American is a fundamental facet of what defines their existence on the planet. Canadians just don't view themselves that way. For instance, you're far more likely to see flags flown of other countries here than you are of our own.
Canada, as a country and a multicultural society, and the way we view ourselves is kind of like jury duty, you may not know or care what jury duty is, or that you'll be a juror. Nor might you care about the other people in the jury on a personal level, but you take your summons for what it is and make the best of a potentially interesting opportunity, whilst having to cooperate with the other jurors to accomplish such a task. In other words, is there some deep meaning behind what it is to be a citizen here? Probably not. Is it relevant? Probably not. Do I have more of an attachment to people in and from this country than I do with people from elsewhere? No. But I'll take my situation here for what it is and accept it. The same as I would in any other country I happened to be born in.
I see myself as an inhabitant of the world. I find national pride to be a rather silly concept. To answer the question...Canadians are neither nationalistic or patriotic. We're content.
I actually agree with this post. That's the way I've always seen it.
In my experience of having lived in this country for 26 years, and the people I have met here along the way, as well as my own personal views, I think most people in this country don't care one way or the other about being "Canadian". It's strictly a legal demonym. Unlike my understanding of the American idea of "nationality" (and there are other countries like this as well), people in Canada don't see their nationality as some deep, intrinsic, philosophical, extension of themselves as people. In my opinion, this is what is inherent in the American ethos. You're not just someone who happens to live in the United States, you're an American. As if to say, that if they were born somewhere else, they'd be entirely different people. That being American is a fundamental facet of what defines their existence on the planet. Canadians just don't view themselves that way. For instance, you're far more likely to see flags flown of other countries here than you are of our own.
Actually, the USA is absolutely NO different in this respect! Old World ethnic identities are certainly must stronger than New World civic ones - and this is how I feel about my Ukrainian ethnic identity vis-a-vis my American civic identity. Being American is no fundamentally different from how you describe being Canadian, and I see no evidence in my daily life that Americans think cohesively. Quite the opposite, if you keep up with the news. Being American is 1st and foremost a form of citizenship. It's a country based on ideas. Maybe it's also a cultural identity for some people, but even that is growing weaker.
I'd say fairly patriotic. Not to the point of chanting CA-NA-DA! CA-NA-DA! everywhere... but patriotic. Poll people and ask them if they're proud to be Canadian, most would say yes. Many are smugly patriotic. Since the "American Woman" song came out, and well before, and well after.
Nationalistic, kind of, but not strongly. I think the majority support things like UN, the Commonwealth, the Francophonie, international trade pacts, and a host of other projects that involve keeping current with international relationships. It'd be hard to imagine a political "Canada First" movement.
Patriotism is fine within reason. An emotional connection to your country of birth is natural as it shapes who you are as a person and for better or worse is a part of your identity. What I find silly is when it is taken that extra step and steps over into blind patriotism. Blind patriotism holds people back from actually seeing that there is equal or better outside of the country they happened to be born into.
I run into so many people in both Canada and the US that say they could never see themselves living anywhere else. Well how do you know your country is so wonderful if you have never challenged yourself to the point that you are willing to leave it behind and step outside of your patriotic bubble? So the type of patriotism I run into most often is the foolish kind. The kind that is based on ignorance of anything outside of what you know and have experienced.
So while some Canadians I am sure display the healthy type of patriotism, Way too many I have met display the unhealthy and blind form. Unfortunately that is when the lines are blurred between patriotism and nationalism.
Patriotism is fine within reason. An emotional connection to your country of birth is natural as it shapes who you are as a person and for better or worse is a part of your identity. What I find silly is when it is taken that extra step and steps over into blind patriotism. Blind patriotism holds people back from actually seeing that there is equal or better outside of the country they happened to be born into.
I run into so many people in both Canada and the US that say they could never see themselves living anywhere else. Well how do you know your country is so wonderful if you have never challenged yourself to the point that you are willing to leave it behind and step outside of your patriotic bubble? So the type of patriotism I run into most often is the foolish kind. The kind that is based on ignorance of anything outside of what you know and have experienced.
So while some Canadians I am sure display the healthy type of patriotism, Way too many I have met display the unhealthy and blind form. Unfortunately that is when the lines are blurred between patriotism and nationalism.
Most of the patriotism I witnessed is based on ignorance about the rest of the world and probably one's own country as well. This especially applies to many who are dismissive about countries they have never been to, just because the media says this and that.
I also found the most patriotic people tend to have lower personal achievements, which is why they cling to their "great country" to feel some sort of confidence. A high achiever seldom need to convince himself or others that the country he happens to be born in is great and enviable, because his own accomplishment gives him that pride already.
You mentioned the "emotional connection" - that says it all - it is based on emotion, and such emotion is not only illogical, but also pointless. All this "I am proud to be Canadian" kind of talk is childish, exactly what's to be proud of? It is not like this person makes Canada a great place to be. He just happens to be born on this land, nothing more than this.
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Go wander into Politics and other controversies sometime for Stormfront Lite.
