Canada question

Canadians and Americans are fundamentally different animals



A new book by Michael Adams, head of the communications and
research company

Environics, entitled Fire and Ice, The United States, Canada and
the Myth of

Converging Values, is an important reference for prime minister-in-
waiting

Paul Martin, who seems to be tilting more towards Washington than may be

advisable. The myth is that the only thing separating Canadians and

Americans is a border and a temperamental PM who gets his jollies by

aggravating Washington.

This is the view of those who would even further grease the wheels of

finance by erasing the final vestiges of a border left by NAFTA. For

instance, Perrin Beatty, former Mulroney cabinet minister and currently

president and CEO of the association of Canadian Manufacturers and

Exporters, delivered this message to a 'beyond NAFTA' conference in

Washington in 2001: While the Canadian nation was born of forces

oppositional to the United States, maintaining a real identify
separate from

the United States has been in vain.

He writes: "Despite government efforts, geography, culture,
technology and

trade draw Canada towards the United States. Canadian writers may
nurture a

romantic vision of a northern people with unique values and experiences

contrasting with those of their American neighbours, but
globalization in

Canada wears a distinctly American face."





Well, Michael Adams is here to prove Mr. Beatty wrong. Through a decade
of

rigorous social science research in both Canada and the U.S., Mr. Adams

reveals a dramatic divergence in values between the two countries which
is

growing, not diminishing. In fact, Mr. Adams would rewrite Mr. Beatty's

quote to read, "Despite geography, culture, technology and trade,

globalization in Canada wears a distinctly Canadian face."

Polling data from thousands of Americans in 1992, 1996 and 2000
were used to

construct what Adams calls a 'socio-cultural map' which is really a
square

divided into four quadrants. Each quadrant represents a set of
values held

by Americans as revealed in the data. Onto each quadrant were
plotted the

numbers of Americans and Canadians polled who exhibited those
values in each

of the three polling years (note these data are pre-9/11/01). What is

revealed is a shift in dominant social values in both countries, but in

polar opposite directions.





In 1992, 24 per cent of Americans were in the most conservative
quadrant,

Status and Security, having a high regard for both personal
status (I'm in,

you're out) and authority (deference to church and state), and being

resistant to change. Only slightly more, 26 per cent, were in the
quadrant,

Idealism and Autonomy. These hold the most broad-minded and least

self-centred values, including questioning of authority, tolerance,

acceptance of diversity, spirituality and quality of life, ecological

concern, global consciousness, egalitarianism, flexibility,
acceptance of

change, and inclusiveness.

Only 16 per cent were in the Exclusion and Intensity quadrant, the most

socially disconnected group. The dominant values are aimlessness,

alienation, fatalism, escapism, acceptance of violence, penchant for
risk

and intensity, civic apathy, everyday rage, sexism, sexual
permissiveness

and xenophobia (have a deep dislike of foreigners). They are resigned to

living in a competitive jungle dominated by ostentatious consumption,

financial security, and personal thrills. They will break the
rules to get

ahead, have little concern for the environment or for others, and
approve of

more power for business.





In 1992, the greatest proportion of Americans, 34 per cent, were in the

Authenticity and Responsibility quadrant, holding a traditional
world view

shaped by religion, national pride and communal responsibility.
They value

quality of life over social status (unlike the status quo
conservatives),

social responsibility, civic duty, healthy lifestyles, personal
fulfillment,

ethics and strong family ties. They are not xenophobic yet they support

cultural assimilation, and they don't like complexity in their lives.

By 2000, only 26 per cent of Americans held this traditional world view.



Down also, from 26 to 22 per cent, was the proportion of
Americans in the

Idealism and Autonomy quadrant. The arch-conservatives moved from 24 to
21

per cent. The only upward trend, and it is dramatic, is in the cynical,

fatalistic Exclusion and Intensity quadrant. The greatest proportion of

Americans - 31 per cent, an increase of 15 percent - are now
here. Make way,

Norman Rockwell, hippies and the country club set, for Blade Runner.

Canadians, thankfully, are on a different values trajectory. In the same

time period, the status quo conservatives have dropped from 15 to 11 per

cent, the Norman Rockwellians from 26 to 24 per cent, and the cynical

survivalists from 18 to 17 per cent. The increase has been in the
Idealism

and Autonomy quadrant, from 41 per cent in 1992 to 49 per cent in 2000.

Mr. Adams puts the run to the myth that our two countries are converging

into the 21st century. In fact, the gap in world view between our two

countries is growing ever deeper and wider. While Americans are becoming

more cynical and self-obsessed, Canadians are optimistically
opening up to

the world and their role in it. This trend holds across all generations.

Young Canadians (ages 15-29) are equally distant from their American

counterparts as their parents.

So the next time someone says we might as well sign up as the
51st state,

point them to Michael Adams' Fire and Ice. Canadians are Canadians and

Americans are Americans, and if the trends in social values hold, never
the

twain shall meet.


--
Posted via http://britishexpats.com

Sounds wonderfully vague, wonderfully negative towards Americans, and of
course wonderfully happy about Canadians.

Why am I not surprised? Nex

(yawn)

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:25:34 +0000 (UTC), Alan Pollock
wrote:

Sounds wonderfully vague

Why am I not surprised? Nex

(yawn)

AP....Pot calling Kettle black???? You of cosmic replies! :-)

TallNV a@z wrote:
On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 02:25:34 +0000 (UTC), Alan Pollock
wrote:

Sounds wonderfully vague

Why am I not surprised? Nex

(yawn)

AP....Pot calling Kettle black???? You of cosmic replies! :-)


I just wish I had your talent for saying nothing. Nex

On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 05:39:03 +0000 (UTC), Alan Pollock
wrote:


I just wish I had your talent for saying nothing. Nex

Why thank you!. Nox

TallNV a@z wrote:
On Thu, 18 Sep 2003 05:39:03 +0000 (UTC), Alan Pollock
wrote:


I just wish I had your talent for saying nothing. Nex

Why thank you!. Nox

As you know, I spread nothing but happiness and joy. So it's a pleasure. Nex

In article , Alan Pollock
wrote:

Sounds wonderfully vague, wonderfully negative towards Americans, and of
course wonderfully happy about Canadians.

Why am I not surprised? Nex

(yawn)

This guy had to do all this research to prove that Americans and Canadians
are different? He could have just asked me. I would have told him "Yes"
and that would have been an end of it. Saved him a lot of money, too.

Of course, I wouldn't have included the stuff about how all Canadian
values are by definition better than all American values, but hey.
--
Trudi

Trudi Marrapodi wrote:
In article , Alan Pollock
wrote:

Sounds wonderfully vague, wonderfully negative towards Americans, and of
course wonderfully happy about Canadians.

Why am I not surprised? Nex

(yawn)

This guy had to do all this research to prove that Americans and Canadians
are different? He could have just asked me. I would have told him "Yes"
and that would have been an end of it. Saved him a lot of money, too.

Of course, I wouldn't have included the stuff about how all Canadian
values are by definition better than all American values, but hey.


Excellent conclusion, which I totally agree with. Nex

This guy had to do all this research to prove that Americans and Canadians
are different? He could have just asked me. I would have told him "Yes"
and that would have been an end of it. Saved him a lot of money, too.

Which reminds me of a funny recent incident. I was in Labrador waiting for a
ferry, when a fellow with a very heavy Southern drawl (Alabama...maybe
Mississippi...) said in all seriousness that he felt the only difference
between the US and Canada was that you can't get biscuits and gravy in the
McDonald's in Canada. "Apart from that", he said, "everything else is pretty
much the same". Oooookay.

Bob

--
Travel and Astonomy Photos
http://www3.sympatico.ca/bomo

Bob wrote:



This guy had to do all this research to prove that Americans and Canadians
are different? He could have just asked me. I would have told him "Yes"
and that would have been an end of it. Saved him a lot of money, too.

Which reminds me of a funny recent incident. I was in Labrador waiting for a
ferry, when a fellow with a very heavy Southern drawl (Alabama...maybe
Mississippi...) said in all seriousness that he felt the only difference
between the US and Canada was that you can't get biscuits and gravy in the
McDonald's in Canada. "Apart from that", he said, "everything else is pretty
much the same". Oooookay.

Bob


Often Euros will tell me that they see little difference between the two
countries, being used to such radical differences as they are.

So perhaps the joke is an interesting point of departure.

Is there a North American culture that's eluding notice? Nex