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Superficially there are certain cultural aspects that flow north and south between Canada and the US, but there are stark differences as well. Do fishing villages around the world share a particular culture? I'd say yes, doesn't make them exactly the same or lessen each others uniqueness.
The part of culture you seem to be willingly forget are the institutions and the use and faith we put into them. Different in Canada and the US. The style of government and what we expect from our governments differs to some degree. Our outlook on the world as Canadians is quite different than an American's view.
No one is saying that there aren't a lot of things the US shares with us, but that doesn't mean we don't have our own culture.
Simply put, those things that are Canadian would disappear if we MERGED. The idea that Canadians would be embarrassed if we were annexed isn't true. Most would be angry. It would be the US that should be embarrassed if they annexed Canada. However, I don't think overall that is part of the American psyche.
To try dismiss someone's pride as simply as an irrational emotion is pretty low. They used to say that about women. Too emotional to make sound decisions.
I have lived in Canada many more years than you. I have visited a lot of countries and especially the US.
I see the good and bad in most places I visit.
You obviously have done the same....yet you are here. I didn't choose Canada, you did. You left China...so at least give me the same respect in knowing that my choice not to leave Canada is a sound one, because part of that decision was cultural.
It is interesting how you push the differences culturally across Canada and allow for all of them to define what Canada is (Rightfully so, I agree with you) but you do not allow for those differences regionally in the US to define America.
You have apparently visited the US many times, but you have definitely not been very observant nor have explored all regions in their entirety. As Botti correctly stated, in the US the State leads and the Federal Government follows. Have you not followed all the Supreme Court rulings over the past few years? They have strengthened the power that the State wields and the further defined that autonomy.
What exactly are these institutions that Canadians have in place that are not in place in the US? Not all of them are going to be carbon copies of each other as many US states take their cue policy wise from European nations rather than Canada, but the principles themselves define the cultural differences that exist within the country.
After I made my last post I observed with amusement as some indoctrinated representatives of the herd of problem elephants I was talking about came stampeding indignantly into the room thundering and trumpeting. All making a lot of self-righteous noise about hypocrisy, bigotry, materialism, America lite, American arts and culture - albeit without saying anything important about the real problems and real differences, and all without recognizing themselves as problem elephants bulling their way into the room. I don't think there's any way to get through those thick elephant skulls until they recognize for themselves that they are elephants.
I sure hope I wasn't the only one who noticed the elephants stampeding around the room.
I agree with you on this. Relatively few Canadians seem to be pining to move to the U.S.
What we more often see is a desire to benefit from the trappings of the U.S. while remaining within the (perceived as) ''safe'' confines of Canada.
But this desire is certainly widespread (and even dominant) enough to make the said American stuff the ''cultural mainstream" in much of the country.
To the point where no one even notices it any more. It's part of the scenery.
Only the keenest eyes (often outsiders but some Canadians too) seem attuned to it.
Actually to an outsider, there could be many similarities between nations within the same region. to the outside eye it would appear they are very similar - yet upon closer inspection and experience there are plenty of differences..
What exactly do you mean by benefitting from the 'trappings' of the U.S Acajack.. I think both nations have benefitted from the trappings of one another.. I actually think they compliment one another well.. Is there an imbalance -well ANY relationship is going to have an imbalance - that is the laws of nature but unless we are bean counting here - the two compliment one another well and have been there for one another enough be it historically or in the present.
What exactly are your recommendations for Canada in terms of contributing more towards the relationship if any?
After I made my last post I observed with amusement as some indoctrinated representatives of the herd of problem elephants I was talking about came stampeding indignantly into the room thundering and trumpeting. All making a lot of self-righteous noise about hypocrisy, bigotry, materialism, America lite, American arts and culture - albeit without saying anything important about the real problems and real differences, and all without recognizing themselves as problem elephants bulling their way into the room. I don't think there's any way to get through those thick elephant skulls until they recognize for themselves that they are elephants.
I sure hope I wasn't the only one who noticed the elephants stampeding around the room.
.
I agree with you. No one should have taken the time or effort to address your post with any passion, because your post was devoid of any reasoning or understanding of the topic at hand. So if everyone else is playng the role of elephants in a circus, you clearly are the clown that stole the show.
Culture. It amazes me that people actually believe that Canada doesn't have it's own culture. Botti seems at this stage of his life blind to it, or has a very narrow definition of culture. He somehow expects a country as young and as small as Canada to have the same type of cultural impact as a modern superpower or cultures that are thousands of years old. Impossible.
I like to thank Brusan and Fusion2 , who I believe " get's it ". Culture is not just some shallow thing that runs on the surface of a country. It's not just pop culture, and burgers. It goes deeper into how a people think as a people. Canada does have a collective group of ideas and values.
The idea that Newfoundland and Quebec are not Canadian culture because they are mostly regional is absurd. You take ANY country and look at different regions. Is szechuan not Chinese? Is cassoulet not French? I must be hungry LOL. Do we pick apart places and say to Mexicans, well that is not Mexican because it doesn't exist right across Mexico? Again it's absurd.
As a born and bred Canadian, I KNOW Canada has a culture distinct from the US, Nat. But I think Canada would and could develop a much stronger identity if only the citizens would cut the apron strings - or at least loosen them a little - attached to the US. But Canadians would never be willing to do that, economically OR culturally. If they were willing to, they would.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Natnasci
Pro gun people in Canada are not quite the same as those south of the border. Very few are asking for a lifting of restriction on hand guns, or open carry laws.
They are mostly rural people who were against the long gun registry for example.
No politician in Canada would get elected if they were to propose a US style attitude towards firearms which is a STARK cultural difference between us.
The rural comment is a common American misconception about Canada.
Believe me, the philosophies of "pro-gun" people in the US vary greatly. I know people who are staunchly "pro-gun" supporters of the 2nd Amendment, for example, who loath the NRA. Or who just as strongly oppose open carry.
After I made my last post I observed with amusement as some indoctrinated representatives of the herd of problem elephants I was talking about came stampeding indignantly into the room thundering and trumpeting. All making a lot of self-righteous noise about hypocrisy, bigotry, materialism, America lite, American arts and culture - albeit without saying anything important about the real problems and real differences, and all without recognizing themselves as problem elephants bulling their way into the room. I don't think there's any way to get through those thick elephant skulls until they recognize for themselves that they are elephants.
I sure hope I wasn't the only one who noticed the elephants stampeding around the room.
.
Yeah, and you're such a wallflower, aren't you? So meek and mild.
As a born and bred Canadian, I KNOW Canada has a culture distinct from the US, Nat. But I think Canada would and could develop a much stronger identity if only the citizens would cut the apron strings - or at least loosen them a little - attached to the US. But Canadians would never be willing to do that, economically OR culturally. If they were willing to, they would.
.
I think over time actually and I could be wrong but I don't think so - our economic reliance on the U.S has decreased ie percentage of exports to the U.S has gone down over time... As for developing a 'stronger' identity.. What exactly would you suggest Canada do to do that exactly? Is this something that the government should be doing.. Chevy made a good point about the Massey Commission - would you advocate an amendment to that in order to develop a stronger said identity for example.. Most of us have no issues with our 'identity' or alleged lack therof imo.. Is there something wrong with me shopping at Walmart buying Chinese goods or Dollarama buying Chinese goods.... Whats wrong with going out and watching the Avengers movie either? It doesn't make me less of a Canadian does it?
If anything what Canadians may lack in a pan national 'identity' many make up for in expressions of culture on a more local level. We aren't just consumers of American pop culture ya know... I partake in local cultural endeavours in my neck of the woods - come to Buddies in Bad Times Theatre with me this summer and I'll show you Canadian gay pride and local homegrown artists plying their trade
The Toronto International Film Festival is another example where it isn't a Hollywood only festival - there wide ranging films the world over including those developed in Canada.. If anything, the lack of 'identity' that Canadians are accused of would possibly be strengthened by more pride in the place but than wouldn't we be accused of being boastful and egotistical or 'anti' something something...??
I think over time actually and I could be wrong but I don't think so - our economic reliance on the U.S has decreased ie percentage of exports to the U.S has gone down over time... As for developing a 'stronger' identity.. What exactly would you suggest Canada do to do that exactly? Is this something that the government should be doing.. Chevy made a good point about the Massey Commission - would you advocate an amendment to that in order to develop a stronger said identity for example.. Most of us have no issues with our 'identity' or alleged lack therof imo.. Is there something wrong with me shopping at Walmart buying Chinese goods or Dollarama buying Chinese goods.... Whats wrong with going out and watching the Avengers movie either? It doesn't make me less of a Canadian does it?
If anything what Canadians may lack in a pan national 'identity' many make up for in expressions of culture on a more local level. We aren't just consumers of American pop culture ya know... I partake in local cultural endeavours in my neck of the woods - come to Buddies in Bad Times Theatre with me this summer and I'll show you Canadian gay pride and local homegrown artists plying their trade
The Toronto International Film Festival is another example where it isn't a Hollywood only festival - there wide ranging films the world over including those developed in Canada.. If anything, the lack of 'identity' that Canadians are accused of would possibly be strengthened by more pride in the place but than wouldn't we be accused of being boastful and egotistical or 'anti' something something...??
I probably shouldn't have used the word "identity." I didn't mean to imply that Canada should be a national brand of some kind, because I don't think it should.
That being said, merging with the US is not an option - the US simply won't allow it. Now even Alberta is left wing, can you imagine the conservative Americans will allow another 35 million left leaning voters (maybe not all, but big enough)?
The NDP have no intention of sharing the oil profits with the country to the South. A merger is now out of the question.
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