Canadians, what do you think of Americans?

Question

I'm Canadian by birth (thank goodness!). BUT if I was American I would be very ashamed. Not just now but always. I come to the state a lot, man, I see such a difference in attitudes and behaviour between Canada and the US.

Most of the Americans are far ruder and have a lower level of patience. If you wait even a second longer at the intersection after a red turns green, they almost ALWAYS honk. NEVER in Canada. I find that pathetic...just WAIT! Yeesh. And it doesnt end there. I've seen a lot of Americans tell obvious looking foreigners to go home or to dress differently cuz its a free country. I felt ashamed even when I wasnt American.
Also, the Canadian History in school is far more humble. I looked at some American History and noticed a major contrast. American kids are taught to have a lot of pride in their country...that's great but too much is disasterous.
Everyone is conditioned to think the way the government wants them to think...like puppets...

Americans walk around with such big swollen head of themselves. Calm down....You dont rule the earth yet...
When I was a kid going to a Canadian School, one think that stuck in my mind is what our Geography teacher told us about the difference between Canada and the US:
Canada is a mosiac of different colours and cultures. They celebrate their muticulturalism. We take pride int that. One the other hand, USA is a melting-pot society. Once you enter, you must leave your old traditions and culture and adopt the "American Lifestyle" in order to be part of society. You get stared at if you are not looking
American enough.

Ok, ok, now that everyone is fuming. I would like to make it clear that I dont mean ALL Americans. I have encountered many tolerant citizens as well. These guys are extra nice. But in the ratio of American intolerance verses Canadian intolerance, (sorry Americans) the American side weighs heavier.

This is not just my observations, these are the observations of almost all the Canadians I know that live in the states. Its very obvious when you see it from the other side.
Plus, I dont blame you guys since you have been brainwashed since you entered school at 4 or 5 years of age to think the way the government wants to you think...
Like I said before...They use you like puppets in their silly game of gaining power.

How long will they fight for it? Until the entire population of the earth is wiped out? It's sad. This endless battle.
No one will win in this game. I guarantee it...

Remember....Puppets.....

Answer 1

I'm an American born/naturalized Canadian citizen and I immigrated to Canada with my family at the age of 10 (40 years ago). I know what you are speaking of here because I attended school in the USA from grades 1 through 5 and then we moved to Canada and I completed my education there. First of all, when I was told by my parents that we were moving to Canada, I didn't even know where Canada was - I had not learned anything about Canada in school up to that point! Then, listening to other people, I got the impression that Canada was full of eskimos and that we would be living in snow all the year round. Boy, did I get a shock when we moved to BC in July - it was hotter than the hubs of hell! Not an eskimo in sight! No igloos, no polar bears! Ha! I had previously lived in Oregon and then Washington and I was surprised to find that once we were over the border into Canada, things didn't look all that much different than what I was used to. However, even at my young age, I soon realized that the people were different. We moved to a very small town in the interior of the province and all the people were extremely nice and so very interested in us. They approached us all the time and asked lots of questions about us and where we were from, etc. They had a very genuine interest in the USA and us and we found it very charming of them.

While it is hard to really pinpoint all the differences between the people of the two nations, I believe a lot of the difference is due to the fact that in the USA, the education system more concentrates on teaching all about the USA and teaching pride and loyalty to the USA, almost to the exclusion of teaching much about any other country in the world. However, in Canada, right from early grades and all through high school, the education system teaches not only about Canada but almost equally or even more so about most of the other countries of the world. I think this causes Canadians to be more tolerant and accepting of different races, cultures and religions and gives Canadians a natural curiosity and interest in other people of the world than the typical American has.

Don't get me wrong, though, I still love the USA and am a very proud American. Most of my extended family are US citizens and still live there and I visit there very frequently and they visit us, as well. And, most of the Americans I know are very nice people, too. But, there is a difference overall and the American attitude can be very offputting to a lot of people who can find them to tend to be at times snobbish and self-centred and a little more arrogant than some other people. By the same token, I know some pretty snobbish, self-centred, and arrogant Canadians, too! But I am talking about "overall" and trying to explain that I understand what you mean.

Hope this makes sense, sorry about the run-on.

Answer 2

What part of the US are you visiting? I'm an American, and can go to different parts of the US, and get treated the same way as you do. The whole country isn't like you described.

I have alot of Canadian "snowbird" neighbors in the winter, and we get along just fine. On the other hand, some of the Canadians that come here to visit complain about everything. They think they are doing us a favor by being here. They are the worst tippers going. Just ask any waitress or hairdresser.

A person could go to any foreign country and get treated good and bad.

In no way, are we taught to think the way the government wants us to. We are not like puppets! Don't know where you are geting all these impressions.

You need to watch some national news, and see how the Americans think about the government and alot of other things. We have freedom of speech, and use it! Don't bash anyone unless you know all the facts.

Answer 3

Well, I'm American and just visited the province of British Columbia two days ago.

I tip my hat to the Canadians! I loved the place completely! I could type a novel on just my two days there! So, I'll just leave it at that...

Canada is a unique, unique country, with a huge Europeon vibe that's difficult to put into words (I've never been to Europe). I found the place to be mysterious and majestic. I literally just stood on the side of the road and observed the people going about their daily lives, trying to analyze from A to Z the differences between the US and Canada. I'm usually good at it, but when I left I still hadn't figured it all out completely, but I must say I am completely, completely awed at Canada, Vancouver in particular. I was NEVER expecting to like the place so much.

Kudos to Canada. I will agree with you on the fact that America can be treacherous. As an America, I've evolved to become a very wary person when I go out into public. Maybe Americans are puffed up with pride because they are raised into such a tough society, and maybe that's the origin of the superiority complex you spoke of. I won't contest that. It's probably true.

Anyway, yeah. Canada was quite a place. I was impressed!

Answer 4

I'm Canadian, I live in a city that borders USA (Windsor-Detroit) and I'm dating an American (he lives in Utah). There's definitely a huge difference between Americans and Canadians.
I worked downtown at a bar for a while and you can spot the Americans a mile away - from their accents, to their lack of manners, to their low alcohol tolerance. I like to limit my distaste for Americans mostly to people from Michigan since that's who I have the most experience with. I've found the ones in Utah, for instance, to be a lot less pushy and more polite (that could possibly be because of the high amount of Mormons there).
The other difference I feel able to talk about is the men. I find that Canadian men are much more buddy-buddy with women. American men seem to want to be "the man" in the relationship and seem to support certain roles that men and women should fit into a lot more than canucks. I dont' think this is necessarily a bad thing though.

Answer 5

I love the mosaic thing. It's true. Although, when I was living in Vancouver (now in Edmonton) I noticed that since the Asian population is growing so rapidly a lot of people are racist. I never thought that would be the case in BC. White people can be generally accommodating until a minority becomes a majority. And then suddenly the rules change. I love Asian culture and am not afraid of minority groups growing, but some are.
But, I would not call it the norm in all of Canada. Fortunately we are generally a level headed people who love diversity.

Answer 6

Um...really? Honking is a problem? According to Readers' Digest, New York is the best mannered city in the world. Who'd thought? Canada is a rather passive country, so it's hard for it to have much voice in history, eh? Where did you visit? ANd if you don't like it, why don't you just stay in Canada? And America is way more diverse than Canada is.

It's not good to generalize you know. I'm surprised you didn't have any GOOD things to say about us. Why does everyone hate us?

People actually insulted the way foreigners dress?

Well, how can the Canadian history be biased towards themselves? They haven't even done much in history.

Oh you dear, misinformed Canadian. What is "American"? You've got it all backwards! Why do you think we have so many multicultural restaurants, and World markets? Whoever said anything about leaving old customs behind? What's life like in Canada?

Governmental puppets? I've resisted the the urge to call you an ignorant idiot, so I think I can restrain myself a bit more.

Answer 7

screw you. not everybody is conditioned the way the government wants. and if you truly knew america, you'd know that it's called a melting pot but it really isn't. we are increasingly finding spanish language everywhere as people keep their own cultures after they come here. most of the race problems are because of not skin color, but the culture differences between different groups of people. it sounds like you're attributing your hatred for our government's recent policies to the american people. it's too bad you didn't have the experience of growing up in america as well so you knew both sides of what you are talking about, particularly how to dicuss america's role in the world.

Answer 8

Any particular area of the U.S. you visit? I do have to agree that there are a lot of people here, like that, but not everyone is. I hope that the rest of the world doesn't think that EVERYONE here is like the way you described.

Answer 9

i think America is a great country in Principal, but has been hijacked by corporate greed and political corruption making the country turn in a rouge state and committing war crimes onto the world thats why america scares me right now

Answer 10

I love British accent's!!! People have been made famous simply because they had the perfect British accent!