That's the problem. A nation of immigrants with no clear roots to the country. No national identity except to tell everyone they meet that they aren't like America. That's not culture. A donut shop isn't culture. French fries with gravy and cheese isn't culture. That's all Canada has.
Kick and scream and whine about it all you want Canada, you have no culture and anyone who argues that fact doesn't really know what culture means.
So?
shareEvery country has culture. Go somewhere like Newfoundland or Nova Scotia and tell me there is no culture there...I'm guessing you are not Canadian?
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I think America is more like that kid who's on drugs and can't get his act together. Might have been cool in middle school because he was a 'bad boy', but now he's getting left behind.
When I think of Canada, I think of what the trailer showed - maple syrup, pancakes, hockey, snow and good people.
When most people think of America, it's gun violence, religious fundamentalists, and crazy republicans.
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The snow only happens in the winter it's not constant....summer spring and part of autumn are warm. You seem to think it's all snow all the time apparently...
sharePentrazemine said
Us Americans have a rich history. Birthplace of Rock music, hip-hop, Jazz, Blues, Hollywood, Microsoft...we're a powerhouse of a cultural monolith. We have a way more diverse geography, climate and architecture than Canada yet they get a documentary and we don't?
Except those things you said aren't from the founders of America, its Anglo-Saxon roots. Rock music, hip hop, Jazz and Blues are all from the blacks you brought over for slavery. And Hollywood and the entertainment industry in general is dominated in the USA by the Jewish people. Neither of these groups are from the founding class of English Immigrants and both groups have been heavily discriminated against over the years in America.
Your culture is largely foreign and imported, just like Canada's with the Scottish/Irish/British/French influence
USA as highly intelligent? You guys also invented crack - and you seem to be enjoying it now.
Everyone likes Canada - except stupid jealous citizens of the united states.
PS - why not have a reality show - and come up with a name for your ridiculous country - instead of just a description. Thanks from the rest of the world.
We have a way more diverse geography, climate and architecture than Canada yet they get a documentary and we don't?
I agree. But who cares.
Why these people try so hard to show that Canada has culture through these lame things is beyond me. I'm "Canadian", but I don't speak French, I hate the cold and wish I lived near the Ocean and beach, I hate poutine and don't even like french fries, I don't care for Maple Syrup at all, and most of all - Hockey *beep* sucks!
That's the problem. A nation of immigrants with no clear roots to the country.
No national identity except to tell everyone they meet that they aren't like America. That's not culture.
A donut shop isn't culture. French fries with gravy and cheese isn't culture. That's all Canada has.
Kick and scream and whine about it all you want Canada, you have no culture and anyone who argues that fact doesn't really know what culture means.
So what's Canada's culture then? Please tell me because I'm dying to know.
shareWe have a culture.
We're losing our culture though bringing in 1M immigrants every 3 years who have no interest in assimilating. They just want the perks like "free" healthcare.
My grandparents assimilated just fine. Oh they're still blatantly Italian, and they still live by Italian family traditions and ideologies, but they came to this country to give their family a better chance at success and they respect their new country just as much, if not more, than me. It had nothing to do with free health care, that only the most ego-centric Canucks flaunt.
Honestly this tired "multiculturalism is death" rhetoric is a whole lot of wasted emotion and hot air spewing over a complete non issue, I'm getting a little sick of the involuntary eye rolling it causes when I see it randomly pop up. Multiculturalism is not a threat to our country's core identity, it's a part of it. It's not some imaginary agenda envisioned by Treadeau. We'd still be a multicultural country with or without immigration.
Officially Canadian for 26 years. Never heard "aboot."
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We're just proud not to be Americans, especially when their dicks. Don't worry Robobeatnik, we have dicks here too. Scott's one of them.
We also haven't *beep* up the world as bad as our "superior" neighbour to the south. What good is culture if you jeopardize it. We have our issues, but their OUR issues. The movie may seem a little ridiculous to people such as your self. But as the man said, it was to just let people know they're wrong about certain things about Canada. Weren't those girls American?? ARKANSAS!?!?
I'd rather have a nation of immigrants with no clear roots (except their own, of course) that relatively gets along than, well...just read the news for the latest tragedy coming out of America. Canada is a multi-cultural country that we celebrate much of
That being said, id like to say a very friendly hello to all our cool neighbours to the south. Your country is amazing. Started off with a wonderful idea that seems to be getting distorted though. Anyways, come and visit anytime!
It's a mark of how entrenched in American culture Canadians are that every comparison they make to other nations only ever gets as far as the USA.
This is what happens when a country has no clear culture of their own to rally behind. You don't see the Germans or the Scots or the Dutch or the French or the Thais or the Japanese or the Greeks countering every flaw that's pointed out in their system by immediately making a direct comparison with what life is like in the USA. Canadians ALWAYS do this.
Well none of those countries are you neighbors and are much older. What do you expect?
shareCanada has far more in common with England than with the United States and yet Canada regularly embraces all things American.
Not only that, all European nations are tucked in close to one another and they still manage to retain their own culture and identity - because they have one.
Canada cannot retain its own culture and identity because it does not have one. The only indigenous culture in Canada is that of the Native people, ie: the original inhabitants. Everyone else is a settler, therefore no singular culture has ever been formed. When was the last time you ever heard anyone say: "jeez, I feel like some Canadian food tonight. Does anyone else feel like going out and getting some Canadian food?"
It doesn't happen because it doesn't exist. There is no "Canadian food" there are only foods from cultures that have settled in Canada and food that is directly taken from America.
This is a crazy argument, how can there be an argument that Canada has zero culture? I've lived in four different countries in my 30 years on this earth, the UK, US, France and Canada and i can promise you that each one of them had a distinct culture of their own. Culture doesn't just encompass food or whatever has been mentioned in this thread, it encompasses history, language, traditions, cuisine, religion, stories, art, music, etc etc etc.... To deny that Canada doesn't have these things is a weak argument at best, the very fact that Canada is a melting pot of cultures adds to the national culture/identity. Canada embraces American 'things' as much as the other counties of the world does, it just so happens to share the same strip of land which means an exchange of media culture and business. To think of America as an all encompassing stand alone culture is also crazy as the only indigenous culture of America is that of the native people, and everyone else is a settler... so as you see, culture evolves and grows from the people who settle there. American cuisine is nothing but a collection of international dishes which have been added to the national pallet, so I'm still confused as to you saying 'does anyone else feel like going out and getting some Canadian food?" as who says "does anyone else feel like going out and getting some American food?" What is American food?
shareActually, you seem to have no idea what culture actually means.
culture
noun cul·ture \ˈkəl-chər\
: the beliefs, customs, arts, etc., of a particular society, group, place, or time
: a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.
: a way of thinking, behaving, or working that exists in a place or organization (such as a business)
I'm not arguing semantics.
Anyone who has spent time abroad knows without fail what culture is. And by abroad I don't mean the USA (although America definitely has more culture than Canada does - black or otherwise.)
There isn't even a holiday in Canada that is culturally significant.
Haha, not even a holiday in Canada that is culturally significant? You've lost all credit now as Canada has provinces filled with culturally significant holidays! You really need to do your research before making such a throw away statement like that. Nice try though :) I suspect you may be a wind up merchant.
shareReally? So tell me some of these culturally significant holidays in Canada. I'm all ears.
shareI think its pretty obvious that your trolling now. You obviously have the internet so do an internet search, if not then i have no more time for you.
shareYeah, you're right. I have the internet. And there are no holidays in Canada with unique cultural significance.
You made the claim, back it up.
If Christmas or Easter or any holiday that is from a culture other than the unique Canadian culture that you claim exists is your definition of Canadian culture, then you are clearly not on the same page of relevance that this debate requires.
Either back up your claim or shut up. Because from where I'm standing it just looks to me like you're arguing out of some absurd, obdurate patriotism.
The truth hurts, I guess.
You obviously didn't look them up or else you would have read the other holidays that you didn't mention, then looked up their meanings and brought them here. Your also neglecting the fact that universal holidays are effected by the culture that celebrates them, making them culturally unique in every country. Once again, nice try at trolling but you obviously have no notion as to how culture works and what it really is.... it's just a ridiculous argument from start to finish.
And for the record, I hold three citizenships including Canadian, so I'm not exactly crushed by an attack on my 'Patriotism", the only thing that is being discussed is your ethnocentric views. You also don't seem to be able to keep track of your own posts either, as you actually made the original claim and offered no proof to back up your opinion, your words were 'There isn't even a holiday in Canada that is culturally significant'. So once again, write a list of holidays, look up their meanings, Post them here and state your point for discussion. If you can't do that then I have no time to discuss this with you and you can only present your statements as personal opinion, which doesn't equal fact. It isn't my burden to research your argument/claim and i certainly won't waste my time on a troll. If your not a troll, then in your own words... 'either back up your claim or shut up'.
Here's a life tip for you: when someone offers an opinion that you might happen to disagree with it, it doesn't make them a troll. Immediately brushing them off as such simply shows how little you have to contribute to the debate.
Because you are having such a difficult time understanding what I'm saying here, I'll clarify:
Canada has no cultural holidays that unite the entire nation under one or any culturally significant event(s). Go to Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Germany, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, England, Wales, Scotland, Spain, Senegal, Egypt, Mexico, etc, etc, etc... and you will have no trouble seeing what it is that I am speaking of. A single culture, unified by a history, events, beliefs, foods, dress, architecture, etc, that specifically maintains the integrity of that nation will be found in every single one of the nations I've just mentioned and more. This single culture however, will not be found in Canada because it does. not. have. one.
That is my claim, that is my point and that is the obvious truth of Canada as a nation. I can't explain it any more directly than that.
Nope, when you make a claim and present it as fact then you have to defend it with fact, something which you have refused to do and have avoided at all cost. Now i shall destroy your whole argument with two words. Canada day. Not that this holiday is the only one that encapsulates the things you listed, but either way you have shown to all that you didn't even bother to research anything to come to your 'truth'. So if you still commit to your 'fact' even though I have destroyed your argument by the premise that you yourself set, then you are a troll. 'I cant explain it any more directly than that'... your embarrassing yourself, kinda sad really.
shareAre you kidding me? Canada Day???
It's the celebration of the nation's birth. Every nation on earth has one. It is not a celebration of individualistic national culture in any way, shape or form. It's meaningless.
You clearly don't understand what a nation's culture entails. I would think that a person with three passports would have a minimal understanding of this concept, but clearly I'm wrong. There's nothing cultural about Canada Day.
Holidays that celebrate a nation's culture actually have meaning. Rituals are performed. Special foods and drinks are served. Special music is played. People dress in unique attire. And all of it revolves around the unique identity that the nation's inhabitants share.
Maybe you've been entrenched in a cultureless society for so long that you actually really believe that Canada has culture and that Canada Day is an exhibition of it, in which case you've only further proved my point.
Anyone who comes from basically any other nation on earth with real culture and real identity would laugh their asses off if you took them out on Canada Day and told them that this was Canadian culture. So let me get this straight: walking around waving a flag and drinking *beep* Canadian beer is culture?
Wow. That's even more tragic than I originally thought.
Haha, you've once again embarrassed yourself and revealed that your argument or logic isn't consistent. You stated that the holiday had to 'unite the entire nation under one or any culturally significant event' and then listed what the repeated criteria was, 'A single culture, unified by a history, events, beliefs, foods, dress, architecture, etc, that specifically maintains the integrity of that nation', Before that you mentioned a list of countries that i would have no problem in seeing such holidays. I brought you a Canadian holiday that unites Canadian culture with a celebration of the history and events that lead up to the birth of the country, a holiday that can be seen in any of the countries you mentioned that you consider have culture, but when i apply your logic and disprove your statements utterly then all of a sudden the rules change, you ignore your previous claims of what culture is, and apparently this makes me wrong. You have once again shown that you have done no research into the matter as you have no idea how Canada day is even celebrated, heck even a quick google search can show you how all of the 'criteria' is fulfilled, but we know how you don't research your ramblings. Haha, heck, you haven't even brought forward a 'unique holiday' of any other culture. Once again, you've shown yourself up and embarrassed yourself, 'Wow. That's even more tragic than I originally thought" as under your logic, no country can have culture as it can be disregarded by those who deem it irrelevant, those who don't live within that culture. Bring forward your own holidays and lets go through the list and i'll apply the same logic that you bring. Come on, i'm waiting because the more you write, the weaker your argument gets 😂. Haha, bring examples instead of just stating something and claiming its a fact... evidence is an excellent tool to prove a point.
Where do you come from?
What do you celebrate?
What makes it culturally unique?
I really can't wait for your answers! I'm actually quite enjoying this!
The funny thing is, the sole reason you find the criteria of what I'm listing as changing or different is that you plainly don't understand culture and it's very difficult to explain this basic concept to you.
You seem totally ignorant or totally stubborn because you are wrong. Lets look at your definition:
A single culture, unified by a history, events, beliefs, foods, dress, architecture, etc, that specifically maintains the integrity of that nation',
This is such a typically Canadian response and perfectly proves my argument: ZERO CULTURE.
Leave your country once in a while and maybe you'll learn one day what culture is. None of the things that you listed are culture. It's quite pathetic, actually.
Haha, I Find it hilarious that you keep thinking that I don't know what culture is, it is plain to anyone that you do not understand the nature of what constitutes a culture. I've studied what constitutes culture, written papers with an A average on other cultures and graduated university with a major in Anthropology (4.1 point average). If i handed in your opinions as a paper then you would receive an F, perhaps that explains to you why i'm finding this discussion so humorous.
Canada day isn't just 'waving flags and getting drunk', its a celebration of the history, the arts, music, with free festivals, food... etc etc. that has developed since Canadian inception. I find it funny that you mention the British crown as a reason to negate culture, its nonsensical logic on your half as a link to another country is a heritage, and heritage is also apart of culture, especially when this heritage is optional, once again you have destroyed your own argument as Canada day is cultural heritage which is culture unique to every country. So, You have proved that you don't understand what Canada day actually is, which also shows that you don't understand what culture is, or else you wouldn't be dismissing it.
Sorry to disappoint you but under your logic, no country can have culture if it has a history of conquest or colonialism, their can be no culture if their is a history of immigration to a region either... for some reason you have agreed in your own mind what meets the criteria of culture that 'matters' which does't make sense. Canada also celebrates aboriginal day, so that is another holiday that destroys your theory utterly. it's very strange logic as this would also mean that America can't possibly have any unique culture either.
Ok, Now to your Thailand example, i would indeed see this as a unique cultural event (well done), but according to your earlier logic i have to dismiss this as new year is a celebration that many cultures celebrate, so it isn't unique. Also the very essence of new year is washing away the old year and ushering in the new in a symbolic cleansing. Now, you seem to be under the impression that their has to be a set amount of criteria fulfilled to constitute a unique holiday. Belief itself does not have to be belief in a religion, it can be a belief in the state, people, history, folklore, political belief. Belief doesn't even have to be apart of a holiday at all to make it cultural, as religious belief that constitutes individual holidays are celebrated in all countries, so also not unique according to your logic. It might only have one aspect of culture for it to constitute a holiday, why your making your whole culture argument based on national holidays, I have no idea.
Food, lovely food! Just like many countries, Canadian food is a mixture of the cultures that have come to the region. What person says that they are going to go out for 'Canadian food' tonight. If you live in America then do you go out and have some 'American food' (I have a sneaking suspicion that your American, but i could be mistaken). All countries national palates are made up of a few unique foods from the region and cuisine that is imported. Burgers=Italian, Corn=Mexican, hotdogs= German... what is unique about American cuisine? Haha, gotta love that maple syrup, poutine and Naminoe bars but its not something that is specifically eaten on Canada day alone, but you will find foods of every settler culture and aboriginal culture as it is heritage that adds to the whole. I think you seem to be having trouble understanding that a culture becomes unique as different cultures mix, thus creating hybrids with aspects of both, or more.
Dress. There is no dress that the masses wear in any country (unless everyone wears a national uniform all year round), their is only ceremonial dress used during celebration. The dress on Canada day for instance is red and white clothing, more iconically a particular kind of red and white dress for women, with red face paint. As well as the traditional mountie uniform for officials and aboriginal dress for the aboriginals that take part, normally through traditional dance, you might discount this but Aboriginal culture is apart of Canadian culture, architecture in Canada is greatly influenced through it, as is fashion and food, amongst many other things. You can deem this irrelevant if you wish but that would just confirm your ethnocentric views again.
I find it humours that you accuse me of not addressing your points (which i have done), when you have not answered the simple questions i asked in my last post. Where do you live? What is your culture and what unique holidays do you personally celebrate?
Robobeatnik, I only read your first point and then skipped to the bottom after realizing that you will not answer the only three questions that I asked you. The reason you won't answer is because you don't want to declare your own position (stake in the game so to speak), as it will further destroy your argument as your logic can be applied to any country to prove a 'lack of culture'. I don't have anymore time for you now. You wasted your time, my time, and embarrassed yourself to anyone reading this. If I can offer you one piece of advice for your future, your not going to find any happiness by trolling the internet, it just shows that you are missing something in your life... you need to go out and find it or else you will never be truly happy. Good luck.
shareLook man, you're right about one thing: this is a pointless argument. There's no way in hell you're ever going to admit that Canada is a cultureless nation. And that's cool. Whatever you have to tell yourself to get out of bed every day. I understand why you feel this way: you feel that to admit that it has no culture is some sort of sin or slight against the nation that you feel means everything to you (even though you can't properly articulate why). It's scary to realise that the things you've invested so much energy into are lies. I get it. And what I can also tell you is that I've spent and continue to spend more time travelling the world and interacting with different people and cultures everywhere than the number of years you've likely been alive. I recommend that you see the world and not a two week resort vacation to Cancun. I mean see the world. You've got three passports? Go live in one of those countries for a few years. See what the world is like. You've got a lot to learn.
Later.
I'm not arguing semantics.