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"My lord, I've called Canada awesome in this thread, and pointed out that it is a minority of young Canadian ESL teachers who behave in this manner...and look at the hornet's nest I stirred up"
However in this thread you never did say it was a minority, until then.
So if it is a minority of ESL teachers…why the fuss?
you missed this " it by no means implies it is the average Canadian ESL instructor that behaves in such a way."
in consideration of the health and well-being of the Canadian posters here...I thought I'd post something written by a Canadian. Less stressful than hearing it from an American.
So if it is a minority of ESL teachers…why the fuss?
We tend to agree; Yank-bashing is certainly nothing new in the wake of the events of 9/11/01, and except in the minds of the extremely paranoiac, the United States does not invoke an image as dark as the more primitive and/or totalitarian nations. If we're so evil, why is the rest of the world so eager to investigate?
Even if it is just a minority, teachers often teach hundreds if not thousands of students a year, especially in the large English academies in places like Tokyo, Seoul, Shanghai. And there are tens of thousands of Canadian ESL teachers in Asia and around the world, maybe even 100,000? even if only 10% indulge a little slagging on America, the audience for such would be in the millions.
I think Canadians just find it odd that an American is trying to blame another country for it's image problem overseas. In fact, really odd.
I think Canadians just find it odd that an American is trying to blame another country for it's image problem overseas. In fact, really odd.
He suggested we should automatically agree with his premise while ignoring my statement about Americans wearing Canada flashes for decades while travelling overseas. I guess demanding he acknowledge that well known fact would be "obsessive" on my part.
I find it more than passing strange that living, as he says, in Asia for over twenty years, he is not familiar with WHY Koreans talk disparagingly about Japan and it's people. His surmisal is, they have an "inferiority complex".
I simply pointed it out, not blaming Canada. If you reread my posts, I pointed out that America has enough problems as it is, without young Canadians adding any fuel to the fire. This is especially true with Korea, Japan and China, the three countries I am most acquainted with. And when you consider that these three countries are the most ESL-mad and contain arguably the largest numbers of Canadian ESL instructors....I think it certainly is pertinent to a discussion about Canadian feelings towards Americans/America...no?
If you were to personally learn that a large percentage of Americans working in East Asia were slagging on Canada/Canadians, to potentially millions of impressionable ears....would you not be the least bit annoyed????
he is not familiar with WHY Koreans talk disparagingly about Japan and it's people. His surmisal is, they have an "inferiority complex".
I have a Master's in Asian Studies and have read my fair share of books on both countries. The history between the two countries as taught (by both) is very skewed. Many Koreans were eager supporters of the Japanese (vis-a-vis the traditional Chinese hegemony over Korea). Millions moved to Japan to work, and some estimate that the Imperial army was nearly 20% Korean, most were eager fighters, even kamikazes.
Koreans are not taught this, nor is it ever pointed out that so many more Koreans suffered under the Chinese intervention in the Korean War, or the millions of Koreans who have starved to death under their fellow (North) Koreans. Koreans/Chinese and Americans(and allies) killed more Koreans than the Japanese. Yet Japan is the devil.
Anti-Japanese sentiment has been skillfully used by politcical/economic elites (ironically, many of whose families were top Japanese collaborators) for their own purposes.
Should I go on? Do you know about the thousands of bi-national couples (K/J) living on the peninsula, who, after Japan's surrender were hunted down and deported?
And on the other side is Japan, who unlike the Germans, did not elect their emperor, and who have extended a hand of friendship to Korea for generations. I think it's high time Korea move on. Do you disagree? And are you unaware of how most expats in the region feel about this matter? And have you heard Korean children on countless occasions, sometimes as young as three, swear about "Japanese dirty bastards" in public? Korea has a serious problem..it's one thing to be upset about things that happened generations ago, it's another to teach your children to hate a peaceful, democratic, and incredibly civilized neighbor.
I simply pointed it out, not blaming Canada. If you reread my posts, I pointed out that America has enough problems as it is, without young Canadians adding any fuel to the fire. This is especially true with Korea, Japan and China, the three countries I am most acquainted with. And when you consider that these three countries are the most ESL-mad and contain arguably the largest numbers of Canadian ESL instructors....I think it certainly is pertinent to a discussion about Canadian feelings towards Americans/America...no?
If you were to personally learn that a large percentage of Americans working in East Asia were slagging on Canada/Canadians, to potentially millions of impressionable ears....would you not be the least bit annoyed????
Of course not; I'd simply take it for granted and move on with my life. It's the norm for your newscasters, comedians and politicians why would I think young Americans overseas would be any different?
Still waiting for idiots like McCain and Napolitannonuts to apologize for their stupid comments regarding the 9/11 plotters and your northern border while both ignored your southern one for years as Gov of Az.
Found this article from a Canadian expat in Korea, comparing (gasp!) Korea and Canada's inferiority complexes.....I'm done with this thread....
"Canadians and Koreans alike need to move beyond their perceived inferiority. They are too busy nursing their bruised egos to think, or behave, rationally when confronted with “unfair” criticisms or comparisons. In desperate attempts to prove themselves on the international stage, they merely draw attention to their own immaturity. "
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