13 Comments
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tiredofthischaos's avatar

Im interested to read this. I live in Canada but raised in England. I never found Canadians to have a culture neither. Younger countries that are comprised of many seem to loose their origins over time..sure there are pockets of immigrants that planted themselves in one area and others overtime moved in. Such as the Chinese, Greeks, East Indians tied by their language and created rich cultural extensions of their heritage and homeland.

If you ask a European what US citizens are like they would say arrogant, loud and proud. But it would be hard to describe their "culture".

Infact not to long ago Donald Trump was described to me as a charicature of an American. Ouch.

JMHertwig's avatar

They don’t understand the world is very different

JMHertwig's avatar

I lived there for 31 years. I can describe their culture.

I never forgot how I was different, though. I’ve lived in 28 homes in 16 towns/ cities in Ontario and I can, I think, describe a collective Canadian culture.

Living, learning, working and moving over and over I could see what makes us the same as well as what makes us different. Maybe it’s a forest for the trees or personal bias but I found profound differences. Not to say I didn’t have lovely neighbours but I also learned to keep a very small footprint there for my own mental health.

tiredofthischaos's avatar

I understand the "feeling different", thats never left me. Im settled now,but I too moved so many times.

Way Yuhl's avatar

The description of Americans as "arrogant, loud and proud" can be attributed to several cultural dimensions, I'd argue that it is part of the American culture.

JMHertwig's avatar

There is a dimension of that baked into American culture. Movies, sports, patriarchal heirarchys, military patriotism are all parts of their belief that it this is just human

Way Yuhl's avatar

Every culture feels its view of the world is "just human." It takes a good deal of introspection to realize everyone is different.

JMHertwig's avatar

How much cultural identity gets reinforced and projected as a fail safe to ego identity, among many others

Way Yuhl's avatar

A good question, but I'll leave the psychology to my good friend M.J. Hornby.

JMHertwig's avatar

Fat fingers before I finished my thought. If you would indulge me.

US GDP is largely consumer driven now and this is the part of my lived experience in Michigan… the brain washing within that buy more and acquire more has become an incredible machine from birth to death. Customers don’t return and we see this in and out of the aggressive consumer pressure tactics. You need customers of consumer goods….is my point.

I’m still not sure that this is about policy or naked expansionism with a dash of reality TV because they have set that stage before.

I learn new references from you that make the puzzle larger, thank you for that..as it’s 12:29 I’ll apologize and sign off.

Kevin's avatar

The USA hasn’t been able to unify as a melting pot.

tiredofthischaos's avatar

Canada the same, but more unified. I love attending Native Circles and visiting area that are predominantly one culture like little Italy, Greek Town,China town or East Indian village. Its like going on a day trip to another land without the expensive plane ride.

Frances's avatar

Is the word ‘litterly’ an intentional take on current American culture, or an autocorrect error?😉😉

— it struck me that American culture (in general) might be lacking what’s called a ‘theory of mind’ — you know, that thing that’s really helpful culturally, individually, etc.