Canada Viewed from Abroad: What do People Think?

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

I wish/hope you are right but it did not appear like that is what happened. Most American's are very ignorant of anything outside of their immediate lives and have very warped ideas about the world. It is downright scary talking to many of them and hearing about what they actually believe. I think most of us American's that have been to Canada have a very favorable view of the country but you average person from the US still thinks the US is by far the best country in the world and everyone else is living in the stone age even though that view is completely wrong.

I have a theory that the reason why most Americans have such a warped view of the world is because of the way information is spread throughout the US. From the time we are little kids it is constantly drilled into our heads that the US is the best. Now add in the most people do not leave the country so the only time we see other places is when they are on the news. The only time another country will be on the US news is for sporting events or when a war is happening there. Given this your average person from the US has the belief that American is the best and the only other countries that are seen on TV are countries that are at war. So for the average person in the US the comparison is US against war torn countries or places that need US aid. Then they see how bad parts of the US is with poverty and unemployment but they still believe that these parts of the US is better then other countries so they then believe that other countries are all poor 3rd world nations. So in the end you get a substantial portion of the US population that has absolutely no clue about the world around then but are very sure that it is a poor scary place and that the US is the best and nowhere else is safe.

I think your analysis is spot on. Add in the American "birth myth" about a righteous war of liberation against British taxation and tyranny, and the credo of "give us your huddled masses" and also the fact that many immigrants to the US were legitimately fleeing persecution abroad and this would certainly colour the American world view. American isolationism and insularity is only to be expected under the circumstances. It remains regrettable though.

Please don't take my viewpoints as being exemplary of anti-Americanism. It is more a manifestation of disappointment and a desire for something better. My mother was born in the US, so it is difficult to be anti-American when you are half American.

[RyeJay]

Originally Posted by VANRIDERFAN

And who would that be?

If you don't have the guts to come out and identify who you are going to insult then just SFU!

If I wanted to insult someone then I would be as direct as the posters on this thread who are poking fun at American ignorance. Are you offended by them, as well?

Regardless, it is not my intention to offend anyone.

If I were to speak about New Brunswick's high dependency on federal equalisation payments, this does not mean I'm trying to offend New Brunswickers, nor would it mean that I hate New Brunswick.

It takes a humble mind to be able to love and care about something, and yet still criticise it.

You, sir, need to be a bit less 'black and white' in your thinking, and a bit more aware of your own sensitivities. Don't become angry with me if I speak of something that you, yourself, perhaps find true, and are perhaps embarrassed about. Otherwise, there is no need for you to be offended.

I think Alberta is awesome. I've thought this all my life. I'm actually half-giddy about Calgary's growth as a Canadian hot spot for industry and jobs. I'm wondering if Calgary could edge out Vancouver one day for the title of 3rd largest in the nation.

[Wooster]

There's almost nothing in Alberta political/ political culture that resembles Texas. Stating that just demonstrates a lack of understanding and belief in old stereotypes.

Religious views (Alberta has the second highest proportion of those who identify as non-religious behind BC), captial punishment, guns, same-sex rights have absolutely no play in Alberta Politics. zero. When some crazy political candidate once in a while does make a controversial statement, they are swiftly rebuked. As recently as a couple months ago, such individual statments have sunken a political party's chance at governing.

The only people that actually paid attention or cared that Calgary elected a Muslim Mayor were those outside Alberta. That would not have been true in Texas.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

I might not be able to tell you off the top of my head who the prime minister of Denmark is, but I know where Denmark is, it's general size and population, it's capital and the fact that it is a constitutional monarchy. I know about the "little mermaid" statue in Copenhagen harbour and the bridge connecting Copenhagen to Sweden (somewhere around Malmo I believe). I know that Denmark owns Greenland and that Canada now have a land border with Denmark on that little disputed island off the Greenland coast.

I know all these things and a little more, all without looking at Wikipedia even once. Meanwhile, many Americans would be hard pressed to find Europe on a map.

• Video Link

Note that the kid got the right answer - and he is probably American!

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

Yes!!

I absolutely agree, and find it quite wonderful to see a growing number of Canadians that are understanding the importance of language versatility!

Both anglophone and francophone schools should be teaching our Canadian children both English and French from the beginning of grade school to the end.

You're correct about the developmental advantages during childhood concerning the brain and language. I would like to add that anglophones in Canada have even more to gain from learning French, since there is such a large amount of French already present in Modern English. Learning French will not only give anglophones the opportunity of practicing their own language, as learning ANY second language requires, but learning French will more directly give anglophones better command over the English language with 'high diction' romance words.

There is no such thing as 'English' and 'French' Canada anymore; every province and territory has at least a minor presence of both.

For New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Manitoba -- there are areas within those provinces where French is the majority language. I love it!

It would be really difficult to implement a more stringent teaching of the "other" Canadian language because education is a provincial responsibility under the Constitution.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

I wish/hope you are right but it did not appear like that is what happened. Most American's are very ignorant of anything outside of their immediate lives and have very warped ideas about the world. It is downright scary talking to many of them and hearing about what they actually believe. I think most of us American's that have been to Canada have a very favorable view of the country but you average person from the US still thinks the US is by far the best country in the world and everyone else is living in the stone age even though that view is completely wrong.

I have a theory that the reason why most Americans have such a warped view of the world is because of the way information is spread throughout the US. From the time we are little kids it is constantly drilled into our heads that the US is the best. Now add in the most people do not leave the country so the only time we see other places is when they are on the news. The only time another country will be on the US news is for sporting events or when a war is happening there. Given this your average person from the US has the belief that American is the best and the only other countries that are seen on TV are countries that are at war. So for the average person in the US the comparison is US against war torn countries or places that need US aid. Then they see how bad parts of the US is with poverty and unemployment but they still believe that these parts of the US is better then other countries so they then believe that other countries are all poor 3rd world nations. So in the end you get a substantial portion of the US population that has absolutely no clue about the world around then but are very sure that it is a poor scary place and that the US is the best and nowhere else is safe.

Sorry for the long rant...

I think that the vast majority of Americans, regardless of whether they have been to Canada and even if they know almost nothing about it, tend to have a (naively?) favourable view of Canada.

[Acajack]

I have to wonder if Canadians' aren't mostly upset that Americans know little about Canada than that they know little about the wider world.

It's probably because we know so much about them (or so we think), and so we feel like a lover jilted by his or her lifelong partner.

If you talk to the average American, have you ever noticed that what superficial knowledge of the world they do have seems to leap over Canada?

I'd bet the average American knows more about Australia, the UK, Germany, etc. than about Canada.

Their indifference displeases us because it is symptomatic of lack of interest, and we fear deep down that they may be right in ignoring us.

And also reminds us that we don't pay that much attention to or know much about our own country ourselves. (Present company on this forum probably excepted.)

http://www2.canada.com/components/pr...589e9&sponsor=

[SignalHillHiker]

^ Reminds me of two Balkan expressions.

"God is high above, and Turkey is far away" - a Bosnian expression that means help is unlikely and you're just going to have to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. It's especially cute because for two countries that do not share the same ethnicity or even the same language, Bosnia and Turkey are quite close. They even share celebrities, soap operas, etc. I mean, they even wave each other's flags at football matches. In Europe, that's a HUGE WTF. Maybe, if you're right Acajack, that's the kind of relationship some Canadians wish they had with Americans?

And the other is Serbian, "Us and Russia's 200 millions." It's a common response to any sort of question that implies, "You and what army?". It used to be said quite genuinely, now it's usually said sarcastically. I can picture a Canadian using this expression about America in the same way.

[logan5]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I have to wonder if Canadians' aren't mostly upset that Americans know little about Canada than that they know little about the wider world.

It's probably because we know so much about them (or so we think), and so we feel like a lover jilted by his or her lifelong partner.

If you talk to the average American, have you ever noticed that what superficial knowledge of the world they do have seems to leap over Canada?

I'd bet the average American knows more about Australia, the UK, Germany, etc. than about Canada.

Their indifference displeases us because it is symptomatic of lack of interest, and we fear deep down that they may be right in ignoring us.

And also reminds us that we don't pay that much attention to or know much about our own country ourselves. (Present company on this forum probably excepted.)

http://www2.canada.com/components/pr...589e9&sponsor=

It seems unlikely Americans would know more about other countries more than Mexico and Canada, their 2 most popular holiday destinations.

[khabibulin]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

I wish/hope you are right but it did not appear like that is what happened. Most American's are very ignorant of anything outside of their immediate lives and have very warped ideas about the world. It is downright scary talking to many of them and hearing about what they actually believe. I think most of us American's that have been to Canada have a very favorable view of the country but you average person from the US still thinks the US is by far the best country in the world and everyone else is living in the stone age even though that view is completely wrong.

I have a theory that the reason why most Americans have such a warped view of the world is because of the way information is spread throughout the US. From the time we are little kids it is constantly drilled into our heads that the US is the best. Now add in the most people do not leave the country so the only time we see other places is when they are on the news. The only time another country will be on the US news is for sporting events or when a war is happening there. Given this your average person from the US has the belief that American is the best and the only other countries that are seen on TV are countries that are at war. So for the average person in the US the comparison is US against war torn countries or places that need US aid. Then they see how bad parts of the US is with poverty and unemployment but they still believe that these parts of the US is better then other countries so they then believe that other countries are all poor 3rd world nations. So in the end you get a substantial portion of the US population that has absolutely no clue about the world around then but are very sure that it is a poor scary place and that the US is the best and nowhere else is safe.

Sorry for the long rant...

Things are improving!! Update your facts, don't go by old stereotypes. And Canadians are only slighty ahead, in terms of percentage who own passports.


“More Americans have passports now than ever before,” says Ken Chavez, spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the US State Department. Over one-third of the population to be exact, or nearly 110 million out of 313 million Americans. That’s more than double the number of US passports in circulation in 2000 (48 million) and around 15 times 1989’s 7 million.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbe...old-passports/

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by logan5

It seems unlikely Americans would know more about other countries more than Mexico and Canada, their 2 most popular holiday destinations.

In border areas, most Americans have practical geographic knowledge of Canada. In that they know which highway to take to drive to Toronto or Calgary.

But as soon as you get away from the border even that knowledge fades.

And here were are only talking about practical geography. As far as cultural icons and what defines the country, yeah they'd still probably know more about Oz or the UK. Mexico they'd likely know more as well - what defines Mexico in terms of music, food, clothing, architecture is much easier to pin down.

[kool maudit]

i don't know where to begin. smugness is a deeply unattractive national and human quality. it's not, like, a forgivable outgrowth of wisdom, a mild consequence of superiority, or an amusing foible. it is a quality that bespeaks a crippling mixture of self-loathing and self-regard; a symbol of a truly broken character.

it should be avoided at all costs; people should be horrified at the idea that they might even inadvertently appear to possess this trait.











there are many ways in which the united states of america is a greater country than our own. show some respect, or at least some courtesy.

[Jelly Roll]

Originally Posted by khabibulin

Things are improving!! Update your facts, don't go by old stereotypes. And Canadians are only slighty ahead, in terms of percentage who own passports.


“More Americans have passports now than ever before,” says Ken Chavez, spokesperson for the Bureau of Consular Affairs at the US State Department. Over one-third of the population to be exact, or nearly 110 million out of 313 million Americans. That’s more than double the number of US passports in circulation in 2000 (48 million) and around 15 times 1989’s 7 million.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/andrewbe...old-passports/

From living in the US I would say that the jump in passports was related to the new requirement in order to travel to Canada and Mexico.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

there are many ways in which the united states of america is a greater country than our own. show some respect, or at least some courtesy.

It's contribution to human innovation, excellence and achievement in less than three centuries of existence as a nation is indeed unparalleled.

[Jelly Roll]

Originally Posted by kool maudit

there are many ways in which the united states of america is a greater country than our own. show some respect, or at least some courtesy.

I do not think anyone said anything that people from the US would be offended or upset about.

[Reesonov]

Originally Posted by RyeJay

If I were to speak about New Brunswick's high dependency on federal equalisation payments, this does not mean I'm trying to offend New Brunswickers, nor would it mean that I hate New Brunswick.

However, you haven't spoken of any objective, statistical measure (such as federal equalisation payments) regarding Alberta (or Texas, for that matter.) You've simply drawn a conclusion, without providing even one objective, statistical measure to support it, let alone an argument as to why that statistical measure supports your conclusion.

Originally Posted by RyeJay

It takes a humble mind to be able to love and care about something, and yet still criticise it.

Good grief. I hope that, upon re-reading this, the irony will be apparent to you.

[The_Architect]

Originally Posted by Acajack

It's contribution to human innovation, excellence and achievement in less than three centuries of existence as a nation is indeed unparalleled.

It helps when you profit off world wars instead of participate/get destroyed by them.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by The_Architect

It helps when you profit off world wars instead of participate/get destroyed by them.

Come on, you can do better than that.

The U.S. was not destroyed by the world wars but took part in both.

And also much of the settled part of the U.S. was destroyed in the Civil War, which was even worse than the two world wars in terms of casualties.

[jd3189]

Originally Posted by logan5

It seems unlikely Americans would know more about other countries more than Mexico and Canada, their 2 most popular holiday destinations.

I'm curious. What basic characteristics first appear when you think about Americans?

[Blitz]

Americans generally don't know much because they're not exposed to us (i.e. in the form of Canadian media), and we can't really blame them for that. Of course Canadians know more about Americans because we are constantly bombarded by US media.

In border areas (i.e. metro Detroit), they have generally good knowledge but some of that has to do with them receiving CBC television, Windsor radio stations, etc.