HippieHusband was talking with Bearded Uncle tonight and I guess Bearded Uncle was worried about whether or not we would be able to get our visas renewed. Apparently, in Canada they are hearing more and more stories about U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers accusing Canadians of stealing jobs from Americans.
But I could find only one story at the CBC that suggested border officers had turned away a Canadian from entering the US. This quote pretty much sums it up.
"He looked at me, and in a yelling voice he said, 'You're friggin' stealing jobs away from American citizens,' and I tried telling him that I wasn't."Of course, HippieHusband and I have our own tale of a 'border skirmish.' But the article and Bearded Uncle's fear made me wonder if stereotypes really are just "selfish memes." Selfish memes, according to David Sloan Wilson are traits that spread by cultural evolution. They help us identify in-group/out-group membership. When we question these memes or debunk them, we are questioning everything associated with them, in other words, our own in-group membership.
And I know that before I left Canada I held some pretty strong myths about Americans myself. And really it goes without say but both my colleagues and friends in SmallTown are intelligent, caring, Americans who are trying to live healthy lives.
I thought it would be an interesting 'exorcise' to hear what myths Americans have about Canadians. Here are just a few stereotypes that I've heard either amongst my Canadian friends or perpetuated by the Canadian media about Americans: 1. Americans are loud, obnoxious and rude.
2. Americans are provincial, ignorant and stupid when it comes to what's going on outside their borders.
and lastly,
3. Americans are seriously obese.I'm interested in what fabulous tales you've heard of the peoples of the 'great white north' (Canada) ?
10 comments:
Friendly people that play hockey well. Oh, and the good maple syrup comes from there.
And they say "eh?" a lot.
I work with a guy from Montreal, and fits the stereotype I had of Canadians - very friendly, social, inclusive of all, open with their feelings, love this dish called 'poutine'... He was very upset that you can't get cheese curds in Sydney.
Hockey-loving gravy-swilling Frenchified weirdos!
Ha! I like the idea of PhysioProf being the "typical American."
Just the thing that Michael Moore said, that you don't lock the doors to your houses.
When a classmate found out I'm from Canada, she immediately asked me if I eat mac & cheese with ketchup. I actually do, but I did not even know it's a Canadian thing.
The "eh" thing is common. I tend to avoid using it now since everyone somehow makes a scene when it happens.
I'm a Canadian but I do not mix ketchup in with my mac and cheese so please don't paint us all with the same gross brush.
Apparently vinegar on fries is a Canadian thing (or British/Canadian).
I have been reading CBC news comments so I have formulated a few new stereotypes about my compatriots. Most of these are unflattering and basically paint Canadians as degenerate ignoramuses with repugnant opinions. (Our current government continues to reinforce this stereotype). Sometimes when this really gets to me I imagine that CBC has been infiltrated by Americans but I suspect that this is mostly wishful thinking.
Labness: Actually, true on all accounts.
Moose: Poutine is fabulous especially in Montreal.
MsPhD: Well not in the cities unless you want to be robbed. It's funny, here in SmallTown, people don't lock their doors.
Shell: I'm with you MattK, the idea of ketchup with mac and cheese is blasphemous. But HippieHusband eats it that way.
MattK: That's really strange, the CBC you say?
Yeah, the comments on the articles are infested with morons. On the sci/health articles there is never a shortage of antivaxers, HIV denialists, conspiracy theorists, creationists, and about a zillion "what a stoopid study, I coulda told you that, way to waste my tax dollars" types.
The moderation sucks and enforcement of the rules is haphazard and capricious.
@ MattK
That was the first time I heard of ketchup mac & cheese being a Canadian thing. So don't worry. You and other anti-ketchup mac & cheese Canadians will probably not be painted with the same GROSS brush they have painted us, ketchup mac & cheese loving Canadians.
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