Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Canada On Strike
Aniko Bodroghkozy's article "As Canadian as Possible" is a clear example of how Canada is undermined, and forced to be influenced by American popular culture. While Canada is focused heavily in this article its clear that many countries around the world are struggling to find a sense of identitiy similar to that of americas culture. "Canada is economically and culturally dependant on the United states.. canadians are helpless in asserting their own independence (569)". It is funny because Canada is often ridiculed for thier culture, for example they can be stereotyped into a country where hockey means everything (even though lacrosse is the national sport), and hunting, fishing, and "living in igloos". A song in a Season 12 South Park episode explained how Canada is sick of being underrated, that video can be seen here (Language). Even though the writers and producers of this show are from America they understand Canada's sense of idenitiy is lacking and make a song in South Park about it.
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This actually draws from the film _South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut_, in which Canadian identity is a major theme. I do think it's interesting how Canada's LACK of identity is in many ways the focus of how the U.S. HAS an identity...and vice versa. I wonder how much of our respective identities are actually built off of comparisons to the other? I'd be careful about saying that "Canada" (the nationalist idea/myth) is "forced" into anything, though; I think the article in fact argues that there are certain elements of desire that U.S. media fulfills, in part because of a desire to NOT consume homegrown media.
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