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PaperclipPerfector  1yr ago (text post)   33442 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of April 17, 2023

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But why?

Because NPR did it?

I know this comes across as uncharitable. I'll attempt to defend it regardless.

I honestly don't know if you can live here and not see how the phrase from a former Canadian leader that whenever America sneezes Canada gets a cold isn't true culturally as well as economically. Trump starts threatening DREAMers? Canadian outlets start talking about whether to take them. Some black guy dies in America? BLM is in Canada despite the death toll being much smaller miniscule. Kids shot in America? Gun control comes up again. Trump wins? Women's March.

There seems to be a class of Canadians who desperately want a bit of American political melodrama, either as eager auxiliaries or as smug signalers of how much better and how distinct Canada is.

IME the Canadian media class and intelligentsia is especially prone to this sort of signaling. I think it's because the entire industry is detached due to being next to the US and its overwhelming cultural might which lets the CBC be a failure with fewer consequences - everyone is already watching American TV and getting caught up in American political drama anyway.

Canada is basically in thrall culturally to the US (this is recognized by box office tallies that basically fold Canadian ticket buyers into the "Domestic" category). And this leads to them adopting ideas that are already dubious in the case of American politics (NPR's complaint in this case) but also just make no sense outside (e.g. Britons adopting The Knee in their protests against racism)

I was amused by South Park’s take on this dynamic, where electing Trump lead to Canada building a border wall.

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