12 Replies to “Canadianism/anti-americanism”

  1. I suppose there’s some truth to it, but to paraphrase Steven Colbert, “I’m sorry, what? I blacked out during your boring article”

    Honestly, I’m more than a little tired with this idea of Canadians as jealous and homely but ultimately nice.

    Yeah, we’re happy not to be Americans. But this doesn’t make us jealous. We’re happy not to be British, too. There’s nobody we’d be happy to be. Relatively, we’ve got it good. The fact that this doesn’t mean dancing in the streets every night doesn’t mean we think something is missing.

    Let me put it another way: just because a person isn’t extroverted doesn’t mean they are depressed.

  2. I suppose there’s some truth to it, but to paraphrase Steven Colbert, “I’m sorry, what? I blacked out during your boring article”

    Honestly, I’m more than a little tired with this idea of Canadians as jealous and homely but ultimately nice.

    Yeah, we’re happy not to be Americans. But this doesn’t make us jealous. We’re happy not to be British, too. There’s nobody we’d be happy to be. Relatively, we’ve got it good. The fact that this doesn’t mean dancing in the streets every night doesn’t mean we think something is missing.

    Let me put it another way: just because a person isn’t extroverted doesn’t mean they are depressed.

  3. I’ve had a further thought: I think many Canadians would really *like* to be jealous of another country, as we’re not satisfied with the seemingly rediculous idea that this is as good as it gets (it can’t be, can it?!)

    Not that any of us would actually want say that any other country was worse than ours, per se.

    So I think we’re torn between self-conscious worry that we’re conceited and condescending, and this kind of despairing faux-jealousy where we pretend to want to be another country but can’t manage to get our back into the effort.

    So (to be all D.F. Wallace-esque) it’s kind of a jealousy of jealousy.

  4. I’ve had a further thought: I think many Canadians would really *like* to be jealous of another country, as we’re not satisfied with the seemingly rediculous idea that this is as good as it gets (it can’t be, can it?!)

    Not that any of us would actually want say that any other country was worse than ours, per se.

    So I think we’re torn between self-conscious worry that we’re conceited and condescending, and this kind of despairing faux-jealousy where we pretend to want to be another country but can’t manage to get our back into the effort.

    So (to be all D.F. Wallace-esque) it’s kind of a jealousy of jealousy.

  5. There may be some truths contained within the article, for example,the wealthy elite and most people living within the greater Toronto area are more Americanized and wish to be so.

    But in the end the article simply attempts to justify the chest thumping that, admittedly, many nations (especially those of Europe)find distasetful. Not to say that having an inordinate amount of pride in one’s nation is necessarily wrong, just call it that for convienice’s sake.

    It also propagates the image that all countries, but especially Canada, govern by their example. That everyone is lined up on the border, holding their breath, and watching to see what the United States will do next. And when they finally do act on even the most asinine issue, half of Canada looks to spite them, and the other half looks to please them. This may be a rude awakening but not all life decisions are made in spite of, or in homage to those of the United States.

    It also does a significant amount of painting all people one colour. The article says, look at the current government, the words and actions of those in their party, that is the sentiment of 30 million people. And the notion that all of Canada has a deep and dark loathing for the US simply because they do not know where the capital is and who is the head of state, is, quite frankly ridiculous. Such subjects are only surfaced when socializing with someone who is ignorant(not an insult, all people are ignorant of many things)of where you come from, it is an annoyance of not being able to relate properly to a neighbour, nothing more.

    For any person, i do not care what credentials or how many degrees they have, to say that the aforementioned criticisms are true for such petty reasons and that all people feel exactly the same is ridiculous. And no matter where they come from, even if they are Canadian, they truly do not know the culture, the people, or the country.

  6. There may be some truths contained within the article, for example,the wealthy elite and most people living within the greater Toronto area are more Americanized and wish to be so.

    But in the end the article simply attempts to justify the chest thumping that, admittedly, many nations (especially those of Europe)find distasetful. Not to say that having an inordinate amount of pride in one’s nation is necessarily wrong, just call it that for convienice’s sake.

    It also propagates the image that all countries, but especially Canada, govern by their example. That everyone is lined up on the border, holding their breath, and watching to see what the United States will do next. And when they finally do act on even the most asinine issue, half of Canada looks to spite them, and the other half looks to please them. This may be a rude awakening but not all life decisions are made in spite of, or in homage to those of the United States.

    It also does a significant amount of painting all people one colour. The article says, look at the current government, the words and actions of those in their party, that is the sentiment of 30 million people. And the notion that all of Canada has a deep and dark loathing for the US simply because they do not know where the capital is and who is the head of state, is, quite frankly ridiculous. Such subjects are only surfaced when socializing with someone who is ignorant(not an insult, all people are ignorant of many things)of where you come from, it is an annoyance of not being able to relate properly to a neighbour, nothing more.

    For any person, i do not care what credentials or how many degrees they have, to say that the aforementioned criticisms are true for such petty reasons and that all people feel exactly the same is ridiculous. And no matter where they come from, even if they are Canadian, they truly do not know the culture, the people, or the country.

  7. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

  8. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

  9. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

  10. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

  11. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

  12. Hi
    I am the author, a Canadian, of the novel, The Timeman. This book gives a completely different look at Canadianism.
    Canadianism has a positive reference.
    And I think that the book, The Timeman, speaks for itself – bring out what it takes to be a true Canadian.
    *Canadianism is a manner of life. But American has life style.
    For more info: http://www.proudcity.info/

    Best regards
    Amo Sulaiman

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