Quote:
Originally Posted by Cowboy89
...Americans take the view that regradless of sport or competition they as a nation must be winners or at the very least be a force. In Canada due to our very size we cannot have the same approach and keep our sanity.
|
This.
There is a great deal to be noted regarding the cultural differences between Canada and the US that hinge on this point. Individual achievement, against the grain determinism, pissing in the wind and nation building through excess are practically synonymous with "American values". We just don't function or think in like terms with Americans, and while it rubs a number of Canadians the wrong way—culminating in the "my name is Joe and I am Canadian" sort of idiotic beer commercials—this element of our own cultural identity promotes at least as much benefit from the fact that athletic competitiveness is simply not as high a priority here. Instead of sulking and being critical of the fact that we will likely never "own the podium", perhaps it is more important to focus on why that is the case, and celebrate those parts of our country and identity that are great in large part BECAUSE we are marginally competitive.