I am Canadian born and like any Canadian, proud of my nation. Naturally, I was immediately drawn to this article. However, I am less than halfway through this article, and I can't help but feel overcome with some displeasure in both myself and Canadians all together. Yes, it may be true that these points appear both accurate and statistically correct and, I can't deny that I too believe Canada is superior to our neighbouring country, however, something in reading this obnoxiously long list has sparked some disappointment within me.
When I think of Canada, I think of a nation who is modest. Maybe that stems from #3 on this list, our constant desire to apologize. We are a nation who, from my own experience, is more often than not, always willing to help out each other, be it stranger or friend. Though I may be biased in my opinion, I can say with certainty that even friends and family who live overseas seem to notice the same thing when they visit. With that being said, it's shocking to me that a fellow Canadian felt it necessary to list off what makes our nation superior to that of our neighbour.
Instantly the concept of Orientalism emerges in my mind. I remember in my second year literary theory course we analyzed Edward Said's famous theory on Orientalism. Essentially it's this idea that the West uses the East to construct themselves as superior in comparison. Though America and Canada don't fit into these categories, at the core of this article is a similar function. It's alarming to me that even in 2013 (when this article was written), we are still barbaric enough to feel it necessary to position ourselves as "superior" to another nation. I use this word "barbaric," because it is truly that. A nation that is not fully developed, a nation that is primitive, is a nation that feels insecure enough to use another nation to justify itself!
I realize this may come off as rather aggressive, but I assure you that my intentions are nothing but good. Both America and Canada, are far from nations that need to justify their superiority, something I believe much of the world can agree with. With that being said, I believe this is from where my disappointment stems. The fact alone that Canada and America can be compared in 99 ways, proves how advanced both these nations are. Moreover, it proves how truly amazing these nations are.
I cannot help but think of Tom Buchanan, the infamous prejudice character in The Great Gatsby when engaging with this article. Perhaps its simply because what has brought me to this website is my 20th Century American Literature Class, and I can't help but relate posts to the novels we are reading in class. For those of you who are not fellow English students, I beg your pardon for this digression. However, for those of you who have read The Great Gatsby, you will agree that Tom fully embodies this concept of Orientalism, except at a personal level. Through out the entire novel, Tom uses racial slurs and comments to position his wealth and himself as superior to everyone else. Naturally, the reader grows a feeling of distaste for Tom. Despite his attempt to allude to books and facts, that may appear to be accurate, he comes off as idiotic and naive. Ironically, I cannot help but recognize the similarities between Tom and this article.
If nothing more, I hope that from my little rant the idea that remains is the idea that, no matter how statistically correct or how factual you may be, if at the heart of your argument is a statement that serves nothing more than to produce superiority, then your argument will always be rendered irrelevant. At the end of the day, both Canada and America are two very similar nations which should be celebrating our dynamics rather than pitting each other against one another.
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