|
|
Post by kapitanprien on Feb 19, 2011 18:39:35 GMT -5
|
|
|
|
Post by mccoyxyz on Feb 20, 2011 7:15:50 GMT -5
I have a theory as to how that works, but then I have a theory on almost everything.
Now if you look at the culture of USA and Canada, it might be more accurate to simply describe us as North Americans, as the similarities vastly outweigh the differences.
And Europe of course is becoming ever more homogenous and less nationalistic as the European Union grabs ever more power to the center at Brussels.
Simply put, North Americans are individualists by and large and Europeans are more collectivist.
Everyone recalls photos of 40,000 tractors jamming the streets of Brussels for a day when the French farmers take umbrage with EU tinkering on agricultural policies. Let me assure you, (and I ought to know, one grandfather, long since dead, was an elected delegate in the Wheat Pool), you would have a hard time gathering a dozen farmers here in Canada if you chose to picket the Canadian Wheat Board office.
Same as the French law on new hires several years ago, essentially allowing the beginning of McDonaldization in the job market. On some days the media estimated there were as many as 3 million demonstrators out there in the various French cities. And what happens in North America? People simply never have the time, don't feel they belong to any particular "class", are "just doing this nonsense til I get a real job", which may or may not prove to be true.
That's why France needs a separate police force, the CRS, as a permanent standby riot police; yet in Canada, whenever something might happen, ie G20, Olympics, (which often includes a large number of foreign riot participants arriving), they just cobble together whatever combination of local police and RCMP; it not being worthwhile to have a permanent riot police.
So, why? Perhaps simply the genealogical effects of immigration. The people who choose to immigrate to North America would be by and large the more desirous of upward social mobility and striking it rich, whether they do or not. The people who stay at home in Europe would be more entrenched in whatever social class.
The former seek individual answers to problems, by and large; the latter seek collective answers. And the attitudes get passed down to the generations.
|
|
|
|
Post by kapitanprien on Feb 20, 2011 11:00:05 GMT -5
I'd have to agree with you McCoy - I couldn't see American farmers doing that thing that the French ones did. It's not that they can't be bothered, but for some reason - 'protesting' takes on a much milder form here (now I know some will disagree with me considering what we got going on now in WI, etc.) but prior to that - it's been pretty low key.
|
|
|
|
Post by mccoyxyz on Feb 20, 2011 12:34:10 GMT -5
Any model is of course an oversimplification of the world. Plenty of identifiable groups get in the way of saying it's black and white.
Britain for example is partway between continental Europe and North America in its thinking.
The Canadian Natives are very collectivist, not buying into the North American individualism ideal to any great degree.
The French in Quebec are way more collectivist than the English-Canadians, but nowhere near as collectivist as the French in France.
Still, overall you just don't get the same degree of political unrest here that you do over there. What you get is a lot more individual economic angst. Failure here is perceived as more your own personal fault; whereas over there it's more your class is losing out in the class struggle.
Oh well, it would sure be nice to live somewhere about halfway between.
|
|
