>I must admit that I agree with the premise of this thread. There is not a whole lot to brag about concerning Canadian culture. Bear in mind that I am a Canadian who has lived his whole life in Canada and has always been heavily involved in culture.
>Since I was 14 years old, I have received consistent advice to get out of Canada as soon as I can. I have not done so, but sadly, my entire graduating class in music at university left the country within 5 years of graduation. This country relentlessly pursues mediocrity and is not even aware of that.
> The following are quotations from prominent Canadians in the culture sector:
"Canada is the only country I know of which is totally lacking in curiosity about its own artists. It deserts them as a mother deserts an unwanted baby in a lavatory. The birth pangs over, it kills its progeny and runs off to play prostitute with whatever foreigner is passing through." – R. Murray Schafer, b.1933
"If God had intended Canada to have music, Mozart would have been born in Regina." – R. Murray Schafer, b.1933
"Canadian culture is at the very front of the second rank." – Barry Callaghan, b.1937
Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn >I must admit that I agree with the premise of this thread. There is not a whole lot to brag about concerning Canadian culture. Bear in mind that I am a Canadian who has lived his whole life in Canada and has always been heavily involved in culture.
>Since I was 14 years old, I have received consistent advice to get out of Canada as soon as I can. I h ...[text shortened]... 3
"Canadian culture is at the very front of the second rank." – Barry Callaghan, b.1937
Bitter much?
It seems that your definition of culture includes the arts, and not much else. List a few branches of the arts, and I'll try to find you a list of Canadians who rose to the top in those particular fields.
>Of course you will be able to do that, as can I. I can name numerous Canadians who've risen to the top in virtually all artistic fields, but I still feel that these are the exceptions and many if not most have had to leave Canada to accomplish what they did. However, there are still numerous Canadians who never left Canada to do this too.
>I can't get over the fact that I have been advised by these same people to leave the country and I've received that advice time and again since I was in my early teens.
>Just look at the present fereral government which has openly called artists lazy bums, and has cut back arts funding drastically. It's not an encouraging environment.
Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn >Of course you will be able to do that, as can I. I can name numerous Canadians who've risen to the top in virtually all artistic fields, but I still feel that these are the exceptions and many if not most have had to leave Canada to accomplish what they did. However, there are still numerous Canadians who never left Canada to do this too.
>I can't ge ...[text shortened]... s lazy bums, and has cut back arts funding drastically. It's not an encouraging environment.
I think those are two different issues though, artistic achievement and commercial success. I think the advice you've been getting only address the second part.
It's extremely difficult to put all your energy into creating great art if you're always worrying about paying the bills. Canada only has a population of 30 million, while the U.S. is about 300 million and Europe is about 730 million all told. Even a major player in the Canadian arts scene will plateau at a level of success attained by only mid-level artists in these other markets (financially speaking), regardless of artistic merit.
The part about the government calling artists "lazy bums" and cutting back on arts funding is nothing new. Almost every government forced to make cuts looks to the arts first, because the benefits provided by arts funding are more qualitative than quantitative. Unfortunately, few government officials recognize how deeply entrenched art is in the human psyche, and how indispensable it is to good quality of life (something that impacts productivity, and therefore finance, immensely).
Originally posted by PBE6 I think those are two different issues though, artistic achievement and commercial success. I think the advice you've been getting only address the second part.
It's extremely difficult to put all your energy into creating great art if you're always worrying about paying the bills. Canada only has a population of 30 million, while the U.S. is about 300 mil ...[text shortened]... od quality of life (something that impacts productivity, and therefore finance, immensely).
>You make good points. Not so long ago, perhaps still, there is the infamous Canadian inferiority complex, which feels that if an artist is foreign, he must be better than than a Canadian, and at one time this was the policy of organizations looking to hire someone. It was not easy for a Canadian to get hired, and work visas were routinely given out to import someone while a Canadian of equal quality and more potential was bypassed.
>According to the Canada Council, for every dollar that the government gives to artists, it receives back four dollars in taxes from the work and revenue the artist provides, yet governments still feel arts should be cut, forcing artists onto welfare, thus costing more lost money.
Originally posted by AttilaTheHorn >I must admit that I agree with the premise of this thread. There is not a whole lot to brag about concerning Canadian culture. Bear in mind that I am a Canadian who has lived his whole life in Canada and has always been heavily involved in culture.
>Since I was 14 years old, I have received consistent advice to get out of Canada as soon as I can. I h ...[text shortened]... 3
"Canadian culture is at the very front of the second rank." – Barry Callaghan, b.1937
Look, most academics of any substance will tell you the following:
For a culture to develop it requries 3 things.
1. Time
2. Population
3. Density
Canada, does not meet requirements 2 and 3. Our population is too small and is spread too thin for a real dynamic pervasive culture to develop. England/France/Italy/China etc all have populations living in comparatively tight quarters. This forces society to intermingle with itself. "Culture" is created from this cauldron.
Canada has a weak culture. One based on a loosely defined set of terms and fundamental core values. But rather than permeate the foreground of everyday life (as in France) it is just in the background manifesting itself at times of need/sport/public discourse.
If you want a Canadian culture to thrive and move to the forefront, then increase our population 10 fold and give it 50 years.
Originally posted by uzless Look, most academics of any substance will tell you the following:
For a culture to develop it requries 3 things.
1. Time
2. Population
3. Density
Canada, does not meet requirements 2 and 3. Our population is too small and is spread too thin for a real dynamic pervasive culture to develop. England/France/Italy/China etc all have populations l o thrive and move to the forefront, then increase our population 10 fold and give it 50 years.
Culture is always in the background to those that live in it. That's why Thai food is just called "food" in Thailand. The only time it pops into the foreground anywhere is when you're comparing your group to another (i.e. war, sport, and public discourse). You need to add "adversity" to your list of academic criteria for fostering culture.
Originally posted by Sunburnt I thought you were a banana. I didn't realize you were Canadian.
I'm a Bananian-Canadian.
EDIT: I considered making a joke about how North York (my home town) had a bigger "homegrown banana crop" than any South Seas island, but steered away at the last minute. Stupid, stupid, stupid!! I feel like I just dropped a bag of laughs in the garbage. 😞
Originally posted by PBE6 I'm a Bananian-Canadian.
EDIT: I considered making a joke about how North York (my home town) had a bigger "homegrown banana crop" than any South Seas island, but steered away at the last minute. Stupid, stupid, stupid!! I feel like I just dropped a bag of laughs in the garbage. 😞
The Myth of Canadian Culture
23 Sep '08 14:27
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