(no subject)
Dec. 6th, 2004 02:46 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
danaerisFor a long time, Canadians have struggled with the concept of our own culture and identity. It is one of the tragedies of our country, if you ask me, that we seem eternally hung up on this question. I'd liken it to a phase I've seen a lot of college students go through (although it is not unique to that age bracket, nor is it something we only go through once). Specifically, the phase where we ask, "Who am I?"
As a person, it can be a valuable question to ask, but unfortunately, some of us expect to actually find an answer, one that is quantifiable or qualifiable. Obviously, this is not the case. I could write a book about myself -- several, in fact -- and I doubt it would still succeed in defining me. Alternatively, we can designate our names as symbols to represent our whole (or pointers to our Encyclopedia of Self), although this solution smacks of circular logic. From a geek point of view, these approaches are like using an algorithm to calculate pi (but of course, when writing out digits, you'll never have a number that is EXACTLY pi even if you get closer and closer the more you write), vs. writing the symbol pi to represent the concept.
The same is true of Canada. We are, collectively, who we are, represented by the symbol "Canada." I assure you that we are in fact a unique culture, a unique 'personality,' so to speak. There are, of course, things which can be said which are reasonable generalizations about Canadians, about Canada, and about Canadian culture. I will discuss some of them below.
Not American/Better than American (we hope)
The most common identity we Canadians have come up with, rather sadly, is the identity, "We're not American." Unfortunately, this identity has often morphed into an arrogant superiority springing from a deep-rooted inferiority complex.
You could say that Canada as a collective has had a stunted upbringing. Most countries are surrounded by other nations. They have many cultures with which to compare themselves, and a long history which can help to distinguish them as an individual entity (although in some cases, such as the former Soviet Union, the history is so muddy as to make things more confusing).
Canada, by contrast, is relatively young, and borders only on one country. Canada, for whatever reason, has tended to look outward, always aware of the world around it and the other nations which grace our globe. Americans, on the other hand, tend to be inward looking. In looking outward, Canada tries to differentiate itself from other countries, but only has its southern neighbor to examine closely. The United States never runs into this particular dilemma at all due to the self-absorption of its culture. In part because of shared history, and in part because of shared language, the US and Canada engage in a great amount of commercial and cultural exchange, presenting Canadians with endless opportunities to compare the two.
Once it becomes clear why Canada endlessly compares itself to the United States, some of our more embarrassing cultural tendencies become much clearer. We become fixated upon being "not American" rather than simply being Canadian. What's more, those of us who are of a competitive mind instinctively feel that one must be better than the other. So of course we desperately want to be the one that is, by some measure, better, while all the time fearing the opposite. From there, we arrive at the Canadians who will jump upon any flaw, weakness, or mistake the United States shows, and viciously tear any poor American bystanders to shreds (whether they deserved such a verbal shredding or not).
I'd like to believe that we'll get over this juvenile behavior, but I see it again and again. *shrug* Time will only tell.
But really, aren't we culturally identical to Americans?
No. Next question?
OK, maybe that went by too fast. Let me try that again. I'm going to paraphrase![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
mikz, an Australian who has lived in San Francisco and Amsterdam (and likely other places as well). He said that when he's coming from Europe, Canada always seems really American, and when he's coming from the US, Canada always seems very British. By that (by all means not universal but still interesting) pattern, we must be more European in our perspective than we realize, to look at our country and think it is very American. :P (I think there may be a flaw in my logic somewhere...)
I've lived in the United States for six+ years now, with many visits back to Toronto. Admittedly, I haven't traveled the United States substantially -- nor Canada beyond the borders of Ontario, for that matter. But there is an ephemeral sense I get from Canada which I do not get from the United States (and vice versa). Some of those differences are purely the result of the way in which the government is organized in each nation. But some of it comes from a philosophy, an attitude, and a way of life which has caused the Canadian government to be what it is.
Some fumbling qualifications of Canadian identity; YMMV
The easiest way I can put it is that Canada prides itself in being nice, considerate, and thoughtful. That doesn't mean that we always are, but more that we prize such things. And when I say nice, I don't necessarily mean "being nice to each other," although that's part of it too. Canada really is cleaner in my experience. Canadians seem to prize public beauty more than Americans, keeping the streets cleaner and buildings in better repair. Shop owners maintain their storefronts more vigilantly. The poorest are relatively well clothed, and the schools do not differ much in quality (I say this having attended three different Torontonian high schools, only one of which was pretty much wholely in a nice neighborhood).
One of my Bostonian friends was greatly amused by the newspaper recycling system we have in Toronto on the TTC. See, when you finish your newspaper, instead of leaving it on the floor in the train or bus, you're supposed to fold it up and place it in a tray in the subway station which is designated for that purpose. Then, late-risers can take those neatly folded papers on their way to the train and read the paper on the way to work/school/wherever. Not only does the paper ultimately get recycled, but it also gets read several times first, and does not become litter at any point. My friend said this is incredibly Canadian, and I think I have to agree with her.
In Canada, my friends and I didn't think it amiss to give a litterer dirty looks, chew them out, or even clean up after them. People make way on escalators for climbers without being reminded (although I'm told this phenomenon occurs in some places in the US as well). Environmental programs are thoroughly entrenched. We care, we're nice, we keep things neat and tidy and pretty, we try to make sure that no-one is disenfranchised... the list goes on.
All Canadians are not necessarily these things. This is just my take on Canadian culture. Just because I say that we are nice does not mean that we are more nice than some other culture. It only means what it says -- that we are nice.
OK, close to passing out. My next thoughtful journal entry will probably be feeling out some governmental stuff which will touch upon many governments but not focus on Canada or the United States.
As a person, it can be a valuable question to ask, but unfortunately, some of us expect to actually find an answer, one that is quantifiable or qualifiable. Obviously, this is not the case. I could write a book about myself -- several, in fact -- and I doubt it would still succeed in defining me. Alternatively, we can designate our names as symbols to represent our whole (or pointers to our Encyclopedia of Self), although this solution smacks of circular logic. From a geek point of view, these approaches are like using an algorithm to calculate pi (but of course, when writing out digits, you'll never have a number that is EXACTLY pi even if you get closer and closer the more you write), vs. writing the symbol pi to represent the concept.
The same is true of Canada. We are, collectively, who we are, represented by the symbol "Canada." I assure you that we are in fact a unique culture, a unique 'personality,' so to speak. There are, of course, things which can be said which are reasonable generalizations about Canadians, about Canada, and about Canadian culture. I will discuss some of them below.
Not American/Better than American (we hope)
The most common identity we Canadians have come up with, rather sadly, is the identity, "We're not American." Unfortunately, this identity has often morphed into an arrogant superiority springing from a deep-rooted inferiority complex.
You could say that Canada as a collective has had a stunted upbringing. Most countries are surrounded by other nations. They have many cultures with which to compare themselves, and a long history which can help to distinguish them as an individual entity (although in some cases, such as the former Soviet Union, the history is so muddy as to make things more confusing).
Canada, by contrast, is relatively young, and borders only on one country. Canada, for whatever reason, has tended to look outward, always aware of the world around it and the other nations which grace our globe. Americans, on the other hand, tend to be inward looking. In looking outward, Canada tries to differentiate itself from other countries, but only has its southern neighbor to examine closely. The United States never runs into this particular dilemma at all due to the self-absorption of its culture. In part because of shared history, and in part because of shared language, the US and Canada engage in a great amount of commercial and cultural exchange, presenting Canadians with endless opportunities to compare the two.
Once it becomes clear why Canada endlessly compares itself to the United States, some of our more embarrassing cultural tendencies become much clearer. We become fixated upon being "not American" rather than simply being Canadian. What's more, those of us who are of a competitive mind instinctively feel that one must be better than the other. So of course we desperately want to be the one that is, by some measure, better, while all the time fearing the opposite. From there, we arrive at the Canadians who will jump upon any flaw, weakness, or mistake the United States shows, and viciously tear any poor American bystanders to shreds (whether they deserved such a verbal shredding or not).
I'd like to believe that we'll get over this juvenile behavior, but I see it again and again. *shrug* Time will only tell.
But really, aren't we culturally identical to Americans?
No. Next question?
OK, maybe that went by too fast. Let me try that again. I'm going to paraphrase
mikz, an Australian who has lived in San Francisco and Amsterdam (and likely other places as well). He said that when he's coming from Europe, Canada always seems really American, and when he's coming from the US, Canada always seems very British. By that (by all means not universal but still interesting) pattern, we must be more European in our perspective than we realize, to look at our country and think it is very American. :P (I think there may be a flaw in my logic somewhere...)I've lived in the United States for six+ years now, with many visits back to Toronto. Admittedly, I haven't traveled the United States substantially -- nor Canada beyond the borders of Ontario, for that matter. But there is an ephemeral sense I get from Canada which I do not get from the United States (and vice versa). Some of those differences are purely the result of the way in which the government is organized in each nation. But some of it comes from a philosophy, an attitude, and a way of life which has caused the Canadian government to be what it is.
Some fumbling qualifications of Canadian identity; YMMV
The easiest way I can put it is that Canada prides itself in being nice, considerate, and thoughtful. That doesn't mean that we always are, but more that we prize such things. And when I say nice, I don't necessarily mean "being nice to each other," although that's part of it too. Canada really is cleaner in my experience. Canadians seem to prize public beauty more than Americans, keeping the streets cleaner and buildings in better repair. Shop owners maintain their storefronts more vigilantly. The poorest are relatively well clothed, and the schools do not differ much in quality (I say this having attended three different Torontonian high schools, only one of which was pretty much wholely in a nice neighborhood).
One of my Bostonian friends was greatly amused by the newspaper recycling system we have in Toronto on the TTC. See, when you finish your newspaper, instead of leaving it on the floor in the train or bus, you're supposed to fold it up and place it in a tray in the subway station which is designated for that purpose. Then, late-risers can take those neatly folded papers on their way to the train and read the paper on the way to work/school/wherever. Not only does the paper ultimately get recycled, but it also gets read several times first, and does not become litter at any point. My friend said this is incredibly Canadian, and I think I have to agree with her.
In Canada, my friends and I didn't think it amiss to give a litterer dirty looks, chew them out, or even clean up after them. People make way on escalators for climbers without being reminded (although I'm told this phenomenon occurs in some places in the US as well). Environmental programs are thoroughly entrenched. We care, we're nice, we keep things neat and tidy and pretty, we try to make sure that no-one is disenfranchised... the list goes on.
All Canadians are not necessarily these things. This is just my take on Canadian culture. Just because I say that we are nice does not mean that we are more nice than some other culture. It only means what it says -- that we are nice.
OK, close to passing out. My next thoughtful journal entry will probably be feeling out some governmental stuff which will touch upon many governments but not focus on Canada or the United States.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-12-06 06:11 am (UTC)doesn't exist anymore. there's dispensers of new ttc newspapers (called Metro), and big recycling bins for finished newspapers, but not a person-to-person sharing scheme. in fact, in ever even knew about that, but i've only been here for five years.
--spice
no subject
Date: 2004-12-06 06:54 am (UTC)