NoSoup

Regarding the above post with Canadian Inventors....

Canada Dry Ginger Ale ...invented in 1907 by John A. McLaughlin

Imagine that.... lol

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Just in case you were wondering...

BigTruck1956

no.

Germany has the best beer, and Sweden has the best women. deal with it.




how do you know hes an american?
it doesnt say in the location....


and to answer your original question...
yes We are ignorant of Canadial culture simply because we have no reason to become educated about it (im not saying thats a good thing). Now days, you have to invade or bomb someone to get any recognition. I didnt know about Afghanistan's cluture before 9-11.

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Charlatan

Actually Belgium has the best beers... but that's another thread...

What it should have read was Canada has the best beer in North America...

I made an assumption... granted. However, it was a reasonably safe assumption. Why would someone from anywhere else get so bent out of shape?

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silent_jay

Saying that you don't know about a culture because you don't live there or there is no reason to, is really no excuse, I don't live in Russia but I know a lot about the country.

Comparing Russians not knowing the Chilean peoples culture, is a terrible comparrisson, because A) the Russians don't live below Chile. B) The Chileans aren't the Russians "ally" on world views.


Americans are ignorant to the majority of people in the world, they are viewed as the bully.

"It's not that AMERICANS are ignorant to Canadians and their culture, it's that pretty much the rest of the world is too."

So is this the American excuse for being ignorant to things going on around them? Pretty lame IMO.

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Charlatan

No... just one American's view. It is important to remember that. Painting with a big brush isn't fair.

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timalkin

All I know about Canada is that they have some repressively fucked up laws concerning firearms. That alone will keep me from ever visiting or caring.

The.Lunatic

Heh, college students will sign any petition that comes before them, and sometimes even pretend to care right before they go out that night to get wasted and hopefully "get some"

Some Americans know a great deal about other countries as we're the melting pot of the world, but I imagine the majority doesn't have time to spend learning about our neighbors to the north. You think the majority of Canadians know who General Zachary Taylor was? I bet more people in Canada and America know what ghetto booty means. Just a quick point to prove the history of ones culture isn't the most common knowledge to have.

Cultural Relativism is bullshit.

I do like the use of the word ignorant though, because we are definitely that in the purest meaning of the word we just don't know not that we're stupid like the word ignorant conjures up, but just we're oblivious. But the whole world is ignorant to American culture as well. And sadly to say so is a lot of America I blame TV.

And I don’t think the Canadian TV show that pokes fun at Americans is disrespectful. I think it's probably funny, but with that acceptation I hope Canadians don't feel belittled by our portray of them in shows such as Southpark, or other incidents where they're linguistic differences or hockey obsession is used against them either.

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silent_jay

You're right, sorry about that

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choskins

I'll let Homer Simpson do the talking: "Canada? Why should we leave America to visit America Junior? "

ftp://ftp.smoovenet.com/pub/lardlad/...13/wants23.mp3

Just Kidding!

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matthew330

What i've learned from this thread:

a. Canadians are uptight
b. Americans don't give a shit.
which..
c. gets canadians even uptighter

silent_jay

America Junior is one of the most annoying things to call Canada, I understand it was a joke, but some things are better left unsaid.

Oh yeah, you're link doesn't work

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Ace_O_Spades

This is very true

Once i was really hungry, and there was a petition going around... I don't even remember what I signed for, but I got a free bowl of soup and some chips and a cup of hot chocolate

that was nice

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Feh.

silent_jay

Like Charlatan pointed out to me:

Please explain why you think Canadians are uptight, I know well a hell of a lot of Canadians and well not many uptight people there, so I would like to hear your explanation.

Americans don't give a shit, well this is exactly why they are ignorant to the world around them, and will continue to be this way until they learn they aren't the center of the universe.

Canadians get even uptighter (I think you meant more uptight, uptighter isn't a word)

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matthew330

I went to a stripclub in Vancouver, they gave strippers the "golf clap", not one single loony or toony was handed over - that's why their uptight.

I should have started the post with "What I've Learnt from this thread". My point in "uptighter" was just saying i've learned Zero, in fact i think i may have dropped a few IQ points.

Americans continue to be the only group of people you can "paint with one broad negative stroke" without being condemned a biggot, i can't believe it took you this long to learn that. This comes from someone in who lived in Europe for three years (Reagan years) - I can only imagine what it's like now.

The implications of American politics mean much more to the rest of the world than Canadian politics; as such, people are more aware of it. It's that simple. Get over it, Americans don't give a shit about petty whining.

P.S. - I really enjoyed my time in Toronto and Van (i wanna move there real bad) couver.

Averett

I love Homer

silent_jay, you've really got to lighten up my friend.

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silent_jay

Lighten up about what, read the post, I wasn't upset, see I even said I realized it was a joke, but it is still insulting to the country as a whole, think whatever you want, I have no need to lighten up. Maybe if I was a prick about things but no I wasn't.

What if I was to call the US a terrorist nation, or the US the asshole of North America(these are just examples and I meant nothing by them), would the person who got upset with me be told to lighten up I think not. America junior same thing only I wasn't upset

The implications of American politics mean more to the rest of the world because they have sanctions on so many countries, that these countries have no choice but to crumble to the US. Or they get "liberated" (occupied) and have democracy shoved down their throats. Nice choice.

good use of sarcasm, but I was actually looking for a real reason, which you apparantly don't have

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seretogis

What happened to your location entry, silent_jay? Is Canada no longer "THE BEST COUNTRY!!!!"?

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Ace_O_Spades

I really don't know why I even bother checking up on this thread... I'm gonna go ahead and sum up 99% of the argument in this thread

Canada - "USA is ignorant to the rest of the world"

USA - "So what? We don't care anyway, we have enough to deal with anyway, canada sucks"

Canada -

USA -

repeat as neccesary

But I've gotta go catch a dogsled back to my igloo, cheers.

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Feh.

choskins

silent jay, let the link load. It is a wmv file. It takes a minute to load but it works fine for me.

As to insulting Canada, that was not the intention. I just think that is one of the funniest Homer lines ever. I grew up in Detroit and spent many a Saturday in Canada.

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silent_jay

I know you meant it as a joke

Honestly I found it quite amusing, but Averett seems to think I was pissed about it. Not angry at all, maybe people should ask the people what they feel instead of assuming things.


No it was time for a change and it was "The Greatest Country CANADA!!! always has always will be. Just because I remopve my location doesn't mean that my loyalty to my country has gone to the shits. Canada is still the greatest it always will be. Stop reading so much into things, you might get a headache.


choskins the link doesn't work, but right click and save as and it's good to go.

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Averett

Well, it read that you were pissed about it. It's not like any of us have the time to read every single post and say "well, I see what you're saying there, but let me ask you how you feel." That's a bit much, don't you think?

We all have to realize that when we post things online, well, people are going to make assumptions. We can't see your face as we could if we were having a coffee discussing things. You could be rolling your eyes as you post something, but I can't know that.

I don't have a problem with you at all. But at points in this thread you're not coming across any better than those Ignorant Americans out there.

Maybe somebody needs to come up with some sort of quiz. One testing American history and culture, and one testing Canadian history and culture. I have Canadian friends so I might know a bit more than the average American about the culture. I have no idea if Canadians learn American history in school. I know I didn't learn much Canadian history. Is this because we don't think it's relevant? No, I don't think so. I think it's more of an issue of there only being so much time in the day.

Should Americans and Canadians and Mexicans know more about eachother? Of course. But it doesn't look like we can depend on our school systems to do this.

silent_jay, I'm curious about what you might have learned about American history in school. In high school we had classes called "World History" or "Global Studies". Basically take a few weeks and learn some French or Russian history. Living in New York we do have some shared history with Canada and the French and Indian War. Seems like there might be more of a chance for a Canadian to take an American history course than for an American to take a Canadian history course.

Sheesh, I wrote a lot..

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Charlatan

That about sums it up.

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- Old Man Luedecke

Locobot

Canadian and American cultures overlap so much that they are indistinguishable from each other. Sure you have the Kids in the Hall, SCTV, Margaret Atwood, and the ultra-pretentious Glenn Gould but really, is there that much of a divide? Could Canadians cogently explain Cuban refugee status, NASCAR history, or recite the Gettysburg address? Some could I'm sure but mostly I'm guessing no. There's so much anti-Americanism in the the world now, some of it justified, that any article on the subject will be printed, even poor ones like at the start of this thread. This reminds me of the hour I spent in a German bar convincing someone that Sesame Street was an American show even though there is a German language version. My sister spent a month this spring dogsledding near Hudson bay and the pictures she sent back are of an ice-locked tundra, yet I don't stereotype. And yes Canadians I should tell you that there are parts of your country with snow in June!

silent_jay

still don't know how this looked pissed, I was polite and nice, oh well.

Explain please, I haven't been rude, disrespectful or anything, you can't just type things like that and not back them up. so I'm waiting.


[/B][/QUOTE]silent_jay, I'm curious about what you might have learned about American history in school. In high school we had classes called "World History" or "Global Studies". Basically take a few weeks and learn some French or Russian history. Living in New York we do have some shared history with Canada and the French and Indian War. Seems like there might be more of a chance for a Canadian to take an American history course than for an American to take a Canadian history course.[/B][/QUOTE]

We touched on American history, but most things that I know about America are because I enjoy to read. Maybe some Americans should try reading books about other countries (other than when the bombs are dropping) instead of the Wall Street Journal, or The National Enquirer. That might help.

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Averett

Well, I guess that for starters. I dunno, this whole thread is annoying. We're all ignorant. Lets just accept it and move on.

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irseg

Every immigrant I've ever met seems to appreciate America more than most Americans I know.

And no, we don't know all the ins and outs of politics and cultures of other countries--we really don't care.

However, I doubt someone from Spain or China has much knowledge about our government, football, differences between various regions of the country, etc. So what? Nobody seems to care about other countries' ignorance of America.

I'm sure as hell not losing sleep because most people in Russia probably don't know that California is full of liberals and Wisconsin produces our cheap beer and dairy products. Why the double standard?

silent_jay

If the thread is annoying then stay away, no one is forcing you to contribute. Now that wasn't meant to be rude, it's a suggestion to get rid of your annoyance.

I'm sorry but if this is rude well then the world is too sensetive.

I mean come on it is true and Americans have said it in this thread already, they knew nothing about Afghanistan or Iraq before war came, then they started reading about it.

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irseg

Your point? At least we read about them. How does it benefit me to know anything about Afghanistan, especially before we went to war with them?

If world politics is an interest of yours, that's cool. But I personally don't care if other people don't share my interest in, say, cars or computers.

silent_jay

My point is that maybe you should know something about these countries BEFORE your government drops bombs not AFTER. Most Americans think these countries are the worst thing since Hitler, yet they know nothing about them. Why because Bush and Rumsfeld and the rest of the government say so.

It sounds like you're saying you read about them, then in the same sentence you say how does it benefit you, well it benefits you because it opens your eyes to different things in the world, which you apparantly don't want. You might actually learn something, if that interests you.

Maybe the word self centered should have been used instead of ignorant.

I am interested in world politics, you don't want to know what I want to happen in Iraq. I too don't care if other people share my interests, but it is nice to open someones eyes to something they may not have seen before, and maybe help them to see your point of view.

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silent_jay

First off as said before are China and Spain attached with the longest undefended border in the world? Are they neighbours? Are they close allies? Find countries that can actually compare to the relationship between Canada and the US.

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OFKU0

I don't know anything about Cuban refugee status but I do know something about Cuban cigars. Don't know anything about the Gettyburg address. But Nascar history? I do know that the last 4 words in the Star Spangled Banner are,.. Gentlemen, start your engines.

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choskins

Niiiiice! LMAO!

silent_jay

very nice!! LMAO

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docbungle

oops

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Bad Luck City

docbungle

America is not the only country that doesn't know much about Canada. Neither does the rest of the world. It is Canada that makes it this way, by being the quiet kid in the back of the class. Don't blame America for your...unpopularity? insignifigance? or whatever it is you're complaining about.

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cthulu23

The tone of most of the responses here sounds something like "we're not ignorant of Canadian culture...you're just beneath notice!!!"

What an arrogant attitude. Let me just say that not all Americans are quite so prideful in their ignorance. Does it really hurt that bad to say, "no, I don't know enough about Canada" (they are cultural cousins on our border).

Addendum: Also, stop speaking for all American's with your statements! For instance:

Speak for yourself.

docbungle

I'll tell you what's ignorant and arrogant: Someone saying I'm ignorant to what's going on around me simply because I'm an American.

You have no idea what you're talking about. There are people like this all over the globe; it is not an American trait. Just because you may have met some less-than-educated Americans in your life, that doesn't make your mass-generalizations even remotely accurate.

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Lebell

I'm curious, Silent Jay.

Without looking it up first, can you tell me off of what coastal nation lies Trinidad and Tobago?

What is the highest mountain in Ecuador?

In what island chain is the Bikini atoll?

What is the capital city of Liberia?

What are all the US island territories in the Pacific?

Etc.

My guess is that unless you are a geography major, you probably don't know the answers, so to demand that the average American does strikes me as more than a little unfair.

Can you even see the irony?

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Kadath

While I don't disagree, I think no one could argue that Canada is a larger and more influential nation than the first four nations you listed(well, three and Bikini Atoll, and the only reason anyone might know that would be a knowledge of early nuclear tests), and if an American could list all the US island territories in the Pacific off the top of his head, he would be wasting his brain, unless his job or education called for such knowledge. I doubt I could name all the state capitals anymore, because I don't need the knowledge, but I certain don't have even a passing knowledge of Canada.

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Lebell

And I don't disagree with you either that few would need such knowledge on a daily basis, but Silent Jay expanded his rant to include how Americans knew next to nothing about Afghanistan and Iraq until we were at war with them.

I also can see both side's points regarding Canada; that the US should know more about its closest trading partner/ally and also that because of the relative importance of Canada on a world's scale, that many Americans know more about countries like Russia and China than Canada.

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"Of all tyrannies, a tyranny exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience." – C. S. Lewis

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