Is the Canadian identity defined as "not being American"?

[gerryh]

"Like I said earlier, most of the Canadian identity I grew up with was defined by what I was NOT, not what I was."

Hey, Gerry, go find that "quote" of mine and tell me what number it is. -

whoa..... have no idea how the fu ck that happened. I was quoting the american wannabe and replying to his whine.

 

[Toro]

Yes.

It's a big part of it.

 

[BaalsTears]

I don't think that any people have a single, unified, unanimously-endorsed "identity statement,"...

The Han Chinese are unified by blood and culture. They have become a distinct civilization.

So, do we or don't we have a unifying principle?

And what exactly does that mean anyway? If we don't have some kind of 'group think' we'll wither away and die?

Canada's unifying principle will only exist as long as its fear of domination. Once that is gone Canada will either develop a new and unique unifying principle or the peoples of Canada will grow detached from each other.

A unifying principle is a thing, experience, or other characteristic or phenomenon which resonates with all peoples within a polity and makes them hew to each other. It is the thing that makes them delight in the presence of each other.

Without a unifying principle a polity devolves into a brittle collection of tribes adrift in time.

The most powerful thing in the world today is ethno-nationalism. It is sweeping the world.