I have lived in Canada for over 15 years, and I am a Canadian citizen. It
is true, most White Canadians believe that they are loved around the
world. However, you are right, it is just a myth. For one, seeing a
Canadian flag on someone's backpack is enough reason for me to not help
them out if they are lost, or getting ripped off. I figure their backpack
flag should cover their asses. The truth is that their flags are a sign of
their stupidity, false-pride, and their lack of touch with reality in
general. Because they believe in this fantasy world, they go out of their
way to seem super nice to locals where they travel. The problem is that
they come across as being fake. Americans, on the other hand, know not
everybody likes them. They know that Americans can be nice, assholes,
thieves, honest, anything. They do not stereotype themselves. They usually
deal with foreigners in a more honest and personable manner. I believe
that people around the world appreciate being treated as a human being, on
the same level, American-style, than like some dummy by a person acting
like a retard.

Maybe that I have lived in Canada for this long makes me specially aware
of these issues. Even as White Canadians can be very polite, they often
are ruthless and vicious. But that is ok with them because they are being
polite and "friendly" while ripping you off here in Canada. Most people in
locations where they travel would not know enough about them, but the fake
interaction, and condescending talk, is something most people can pick up
at some level.

You mention the issue of money. Canadians are nowhere near as wealthy as
Americans. They usually do not have as much money to spend, so they are
usually a lot more stingy. Anyone who is trying to sell something would
love Americans more with their bigger wallets, and bigger spending.

I have spent a lot of time travelling in Indonesia, the largest Muslim
country. Americans seem to me the best liked tourists there. Not just
because of their money, but because of the way they interact with the
locals. If there is one important gift that Americans have over white
Canadians, and Europeans, is that Americans can "keep it real". That is
worth a lot more than fake gestures.


On Mon, 31 May 2004 23:14:46 +0000, Xomicron wrote:

I was just wondering, is it really true that most Canadian's believe the
myth that people in the rest of the world will treat them better if they
know they are Canadian. I've had some people tell me this and I can't
believe that intelligent Canadians fall for that bunk. I've traveled a
lot and most of the world sees one rich foreigner as pretty much the
same as another rich foreigner.

One Canadian woman in Turkey told me Canadian flags ensured better
treatment, and I noticed Turkish men were in the habit of coming up to
her and grabbing her tits in the street (she wore 2 Canadian flags), and
a guy in Beijing who was being threatened by a cab driver who wanted $50
US for a 10 minute cab ride (he had a big plastic Canadian flag on his
back).

Whenever I ask a Canadian about this every one has held that it is true.
One English teacher said there was some famous Canadian comedian that
Chinese knew. I pointed out that the most popular person on Earth was
an American. He repeated with total conviction that anywhere in China
average people will treat you better if they know you are Canadian.

Is this some kind of Canadian folk legend and if so is it true that most
people believe it. Where does this strange belief (that a rich
foreigner who is Canadian is more your friend then an American) come
from? Is it a little misplaced nationalism (entirely harmless) or is it
from a deeper desire to make up for Canadian inferiority?