-Pyromaniac-
Member
I'm canadian and I don't give a fuck about americans. Not enough to look down or up at anyone I guess. I do watch american politics like I watch any other tv show though.
Why do Canadians look down on Americans?
- Thread starter CurseoftheGods
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I mean, doesn't most of the world look down on us? I know this wasn't always the case. But I feel like ever since the Bush Admin (so the last 10 years), it's been a pretty widespread dislike for us. I remember growing up during the 2000-2008, and any time I talked to someone from another country, there was almost always a joke about America (or something negative about this country being said).
So not surprising?
EDIT: To be clear, I'm not saying this is all Bush's fault. I think it's been a growing thing for the past 30 years. I just think it was pretty big in the 00s and hasn't let up.
So not surprising?
EDIT: To be clear, I'm not saying this is all Bush's fault. I think it's been a growing thing for the past 30 years. I just think it was pretty big in the 00s and hasn't let up.
While Canada is a nice place with nice people and doesn't have some of the problems we have, I much prefer the geographic and cultural diversity of the US. Nowhere in Canada can you sit on a tropical beach and then drive to a ski resort all in the same state (Hawaii). Canada doesn't have any city as interesting as New York or San Francisco.
I suggest watching "Stephen Fry in America" to get a better idea of why I would not want to be stuck up north.
I suggest watching "Stephen Fry in America" to get a better idea of why I would not want to be stuck up north.
gutter_trash
Banned
yeah okay, Super Pacs and requiring hundreds of millions of dollars to run campaigns is more democratic.. yeah okay
That's extremely untrue imo, there's tons of big controversies , how the harper gov is treating our environment, legalizing marijuana, general fuckheadery scandals that have been happening in the past 2 years. Maybe not as exciting in terms of being able to have comedy shows about their politics
inb4 mercer report
I can only speak from a German perspective, but the W. Administration really was a blow to the perception of the US over here.
But I also remember big skepticism before that. Especially considering culture. Hollywood, US music, Disney, McDonald's, etc. were always regarded as inferior to the German way of life.
Chezzymann
Member
Yeah, every country has its own share of flaws. It's just that when you're a superpower you have way more expectations and people will call you out for your problems more. And like in some cases in Germany apparently, focus on those flaws so much that eventually a sterotypical image of the US appears where there's only the flaws and Americans are so dumb, stupid, and ignorant that some people are even prejudice enough to not want their kids to have Disney toys because of it.
glad this base is covered
The correct answer.
Deified Data
Banned
From what I gather Canada has all of the freedoms with less of the hassle - they're better at being the United States than we are.
To be fair many Americans are condescending towards Canada as well.
To be fair many Americans are condescending towards Canada as well.
See, people internationally would hold a very similar dislike towards Harper if he was the leader of a country that actually mattered, like America.
How do you regard something like that as inferior? Different, of course. But inferior? It sounds like something old people would say who are afraid of change.
Vibrant and interesting? Sure! I love following American politics. But as something to aspire to? Hell no. American politics are a completely dysfunctional gridlocked mess with even more corruption than Canadian politics that outrageously misrepresents the will on the people.
And Canadian politics have tons of scandals and disagreements, it is just as such that politics have not been turned into a money making sports teams like venture by media to be sensationalized for profit nearly as much up here.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Canadian_political_scandals#Federal
Yeah, I think this has been a growing thing for a couple decades (going back to Vietnam), and even further back if you wanted to argue it. So I wouldn't say it was only the Bush admin's fault (although I do think as you put it, was a major blow for our perception around the modern world, and I don't think we've recovered from that).
It just doesn't surprise me that people around the world look down on us, been pretty prevalent the past 10 years. Thing is, American's have been really negative too. In the past 10 years, a lot of Americans I talk to feel very negatively about this country. So it seems to be a universal feeling (foreign and at home).
shadyspace
Banned
Congratulations, you've just successfully summed up Europe.
Q
qizah
Unconfirmed Member
Canadians generally do everything better.
We're just better.
Sorry
We're just better.
Sorry
not sorry.
I have been all over Canada and I really do not see that. You basically do not see them at all in western Canada.
PoweredBySoy
Banned
Carton milk and freedom
well we are more influential than any other nation, that tends to breed resentment.
Defenestrated Donut
Neo Member
When the last time the Canadian Parliament shut down for weeks because the minority party refused to cooperate with the majority party? I would happily accept Queen Elizabeth as a ceremonial Head of State if it meant having a functional government in exchange.
FonkyByNature
Member
I love the US ! It's really a great country on many fronts despite what many haters say.
But the US does have some things I don't like... like any other country, you can't love everything about it. To me the US politics, the rednecks, Country music, health care, weird laws (weed, prisons) are the things I don't envy. For all the rest, USA is great country. I say that as a Canadian who was born in another country...
I don't think that deep inside, Canadians hate Americans, in fact not at all. It's just that when a country thinks they're superior to another that things get a little messy. The last 10-15 years were kinda bad for the states, Bush, war in Iraq, Israel/ Palestine conflict, the hate towards Arabs...
But the US does have some things I don't like... like any other country, you can't love everything about it. To me the US politics, the rednecks, Country music, health care, weird laws (weed, prisons) are the things I don't envy. For all the rest, USA is great country. I say that as a Canadian who was born in another country...
I don't think that deep inside, Canadians hate Americans, in fact not at all. It's just that when a country thinks they're superior to another that things get a little messy. The last 10-15 years were kinda bad for the states, Bush, war in Iraq, Israel/ Palestine conflict, the hate towards Arabs...
Angelus Errare
Banned
Because we have the best healthcare system in the modern world man!
Much more varied geography, for one. I'll never run out of beautiful places to visit here in the States.
That being said, most people here in the States that I talk to have a sort of "little brother" attitude toward Canada of poking fun without meaning any harm - and, in most cases, understanding that Canada is superior in some respects.
But I think it's important to remember that ALL countries have their problems and backwards people...we have a lot more of them primarily because there are a lot more of US! I hope no one on GAF is so narrow minded as to generalize a country of over 300 million based on stereotypes and feelings of superiority.
Well if I am wrong I am wrong, but having lived in western Canada for some time now, I have not seen bags in... I can not remember how long?
I've never had bagged milk, never seen bagged milked, and have never heard anyone talk about bagged milk and I've been to the east coast plenty of times and have a lot of friends/family that live there. Maybe I'll have to ask them but bagged milk seems extremely weird.
clem84
Gold Member
It's really both. Been living in Canada for 40 years and yes I've heard condescending remarks about Americans every now and then but a lot from Americans too. Both people are equally guilty of this. That's how it seems to me.
Cloud Strife
Member
Cheeseburger Josh
I kid, but the shit I hear is usually about how America is stupid, fat, in debt, racist etc. Canada is no better in some places. Hell if you moved the border up like 50-100km most of us would be in the United States.
I kid, but the shit I hear is usually about how America is stupid, fat, in debt, racist etc. Canada is no better in some places. Hell if you moved the border up like 50-100km most of us would be in the United States.
Again, same experience.
I will try to track down any statistics on this. I might have missed the silly milk bag hot spots in my travels.
speculawyer
Member
Same reason anyone looks down on anyone else . . . to feel better about themselves.
Dirty Poutine-eating milkbaggers.
Neither of that benefits you (if you were an american) besides having some weird sense of pride for what you are not responsible of. Meanwhile, the canadian citizen is protected by his goverment and rewarded with a hight quality of life for what the whole canadian society system is responsible of.
I hope you're being sarcastic, otherwise you're just as backwards and ignorant as the dumb Americans you love feeling above.
Cloud Strife
Member
Ontarian here, bagged milk is all I've ever known.
Sub_Level
wants to fuck an Asian grill.
Well they are.
But you Canadians are pretty cool. Not as cool as Australians or UKers but definitely more cool than New Zoolanders.
Tallshortman
Member
I don't know if they "look down" on Americans but Canadians are usually pretty defensive about their own identity because they don't have an as well known or I would argue clearly defined national identity (not an insult), are sometimes mistaken for Americans, and deal with a culturally similar neighbor 10 it's population and the only superpower in the world. I think there is an underlying fear of being culturally swallowed up by a US that is the current largest exporter of it's culture in the modern world.
I don't know. A lot of Americans have suffered on an individual level from the lack of progress stemming from systemic political fragmentation and legislative gridlock. Not sure that makes for a healthier democracy, despite the fact that you find it "interesting".
Also, lol at the socialist utopia comment. I'm going to assume that was a joke on your part. Almost sounds like something you'd see in a American attack ad.
Well, the stereotype is that America is "un-cultured" in a way, especially in contrast to Germany ("Das Land der Dichter und Denker" - "the land of poets and thinkers"). It stems from a belief that a country without much history has not enough to offer in terms if culture.
My theory is that this belief actually stems from xenophobia, or more specifically, a fear to lose your 'own' cultural identity. This permeates lots of parts of Europe.
So, it's fairly close to "something old people would say".
Mighty Chin
Banned
Bagged milk was out here in BC in the 70's. I haven't seen it since.
Angelus Errare
Banned
At least in America we care for our poor by providing them high quality bootstraps so they can work on attaining a high quality of life! Our people are like moms...tough.
Compare the population sizes.
Defenestrated Donut
Neo Member
As an American I'll often play as a Canadian civilization in Civ 5. It's fun to play peacefully for most of the game and seek out diplomatic solutions to every crisis. Then when the modern age arrives I drop the pacifist strategy and nuke the shit out of Napoleon. That dude is a total jerk.
Bedameister
Member
It's fun to look down on Americans
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