[Franco Unamerican]

on one hand the need to be recognized by our neighbours to the south does show a pretty weak ego. but on the other, americans need to humbly recognize the fact that they have a huge influence on the rest of the world, especially a neighbour of such close proximity (Can). generally, canadians are an inquisitive bunch and will (and should) comment on world politics. when world politics are so heavily influenced by the US, canadians are definitely goin to say whats on their mind.

something that bothers me... the US looks so down on any opposition and dub those who do it antiamerican. how can a country that exerts itself in so many areas of the world expect unanimity from everyone. noone is perfect, the criticism is a necessity to ensure that governments dont act without regard for the outcome. all that the prevention of opposition does is allow the people in power to act without boundaries...

[GreatBriton]

I think most Continental Europeans are ignorant of the outside world. They all know where Spain and France and Holland and Sweden etc etc are, but they know nothing of the world outside Europe

But I think the British are more outward-looking.

[alienofwar]

"Actually we have had a fairly equal distribution of political influence. But nice try..."

Actually I was quite accurate. I said "the liberals in Canadian history have been in power around 80% of the time." Although I failed to mention the 105 years time span, up to date the liberals have governed about 82 years out of 105 years (rough estimate). You were accurate in pointing out that we had a balance of parties in history but you failed to recognize the fact that a party can stay in power as long as it is voted in...becoming stale and leading to corruption and greed. As David Frum quoted in a Jan 18th 1997 editorial in the Toronto Sun:

"The Liberals have governed
Canada for 74 of the past 100 years, besting the 73-year record
of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union."

http://teapot.usask.ca/cdn-firearms/Digests/v01n700-799/v01n710.txt

But nice try...

[spikecomix]

thekafilkafish thekafilkafish:

on one hand the need to be recognized by our neighbours to the south does show a pretty weak ego. but on the other, americans need to humbly recognize the fact that they have a huge influence on the rest of the world, especially a neighbour of such close proximity (Can). generally, canadians are an inquisitive bunch and will (and should) comment on world politics. when world politics are so heavily influenced by the US, canadians are definitely goin to say whats on their mind....

I don't think we need to be recognized by our neighbors... I think that we're just kind of puzzled at how they can be right next to us and not know a damn thing about us lol. It is true that Canadians are inquisitive about the world even if we can't rattle off all 50 states. I also agree that Europeans are kind of insular as well, but at least they have the experience of learning about each other (?)

I can't name all the states, but I can point out most on the map (I get a little fuzzy in the middle :O) but I can name all the provinces and territories ^__^ I had an American friend who said that she would move to California because it was right next to the Canadian border LOL!!

[dgthe3]

I think that most people don't know much about the 'outside' world because they don't ever need to.
Historically, we have only traveled maybr 100 km from our birthplace. Known maybe 1000 people in our life. Now we can travel anywhere and encountre a nearly unlimmited number of people. We are only able to do so much. As a result, we only learn about those who we are most likely to encountre in our everyday life. In turn, we become ignorant of others in the world, those who are outside of our cultural borders, but less ignorant that we historically have been. I don't know much of South America, Asia, Affrica. In otherwords, i am ignorant of most other cultures. The question of American ignorance stems from the idea that they seem to know soo much less about the world outside their borders than most people in the world.

[a_former_canuck]

dgthe3 dgthe3:

I think that most people don't know much about the 'outside' world because they don't ever need to.

This cuts to the heart of the matter. Everything you need to know about the subject can be learned by watching the evening news.

On the CBC news, the focus is mostly on events that take place in other countries. This is because little of significance takes place within the Canadian borders.

On American news channels, the focus is on domestic events. This is because Americans know the whole world is watching them, and that American news is more important than most of what happens outside the country. Thus, Americans are rarely exposed to Canadian events, and have no incentive to learn more about their neighbors.

As another example: most Americans only know English. Those who have grown up in other countries mostly know their native language, in addition to English. Knowing American English is essential for success in the modern world. The truth of this statement is obvious: even the arrogant French mostly understand English, even if they hate to speak it.

Someday, perhaps centuries from now, America may no longer be the center of the world. It is too early to tell. But for the present time, Americans have no reason to learn about what happens outside their borders, because for the most part it just doesn't matter to them.

I have found this to be the case, personally, as well: events back home in Canada have no bearing on my new life in the States.

[dgthe3]

What i was trying to say wasn't that what happens in other places isn't important, just that we can't concern ourselves much with events in far away places.

However, because of globalization, we need to know more about other people and cultures more. Events in distant places are having bigger effects on everyone. As a world superpower, this has the greatest impact on the US. American insensativities to other cultures tends to generate a negative opinion of the US. Around the world, people speak english because of the British Empire and the American Empire because they have little choice, they can either speak english or not trade with the world superpower.

[a_former_canuck]

dgthe3 dgthe3:

American insensativities to other cultures tends to generate a negative opinion of the US.

For the most part, this argument seems to be pointed at America's activities in the middle east. Three things that will never change are:

1) America will never compromise her own security or sovereignity to appease terrorists or a terrorist state
2) America will never compromise Israel's security or sovereignity to appease terrorists or a terrorist state
3) Nobody cares what the French think

[xerxes]

Considering the French have a security council veto, I would think someone cared.

That's one reason people all over the world think Americans are idiots: their infantile preoccupation with disliking the French.

By the way, there is a difference between appeasing terrorists and taking actions which will not cause people to hate the US.

[hwacker]

Whats to like about them ?

[xerxes]

The wine, for starters.

[hwacker]

whine ?

[PJB]

It's amazing how Americans forget who helped them win their independance from Britain, now their best buds. For those who missed that history class it was the French who helped the poor Americans out. Now they hate them. They hate anyone who stands up to them.

[dgthe3]

$1:

It's amazing how Americans forget who helped them win their independance from Britain, now their best buds. For those who missed that history class it was the French who helped the poor Americans out. Now they hate them. They hate anyone who stands up to them.

History is very short in the US

[a_former_canuck]

PJB PJB:

It's amazing how Americans forget who helped them win their independance from Britain, now their best buds. For those who missed that history class it was the French who helped the poor Americans out. Now they hate them. They hate anyone who stands up to them.

Any debt to France from the 18th century was certainly repaid when the Americans bailed them out in WWII.

It is indeed sad that the French people have forgotten about the many years of mutual cooperation with the USA, and instead condemned an entire nation for inadvertently disrupting their fraudulent, secret oil deals.