The ineffective brainwashing of Canadian schoolkids

[John Hunt]

Canadian children, like American children, gain most of their polititical exposure during their tender school years. However, Canadian children don't seem to pick up much of the politics they are formally taught.

For example, among high school seniors:

• 68 % unable to name the governor general
• 61 % unable to name the BNA act
• 70 % had little or no idea what percentage of the Canadian population was French Canadian

Although the kids don't know how the system works (or who works in it) they do seem to foster good feelings toward the government as a whole.

American kids are nearly brainwashed into the political system. Historical figures like Lincoln and Washington are awarded nearly saintly status. National loyalty to the political system is instilled with constant exposure to the flag as a symbol of American good, and the forced recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. Even children's programs on TV have a high political content.

While Americans may not know anything about any other country, they know their own. Canadians lack that. Let's get to brainwashing.

 

[karrie]

Okay. So American school kids know more about politics. I have to ask... so what? Is their political system much better than ours? Are their votes more representative of their population? Is voter turnout higher? Simply knowing more doesn't mean it is well applied, or serves the country well in the end.

 

[Kreskin]

Isn't that the truth. We Canadians know very little about Canadian history. Hardly anyone talks about the Great Canada-Mexico war.

 

[John Hunt]

Okay. So American school kids know more about politics. I have to ask... so what? Is their political system much better than ours? Are their votes more representative of their population? Is voter turnout higher? Simply knowing more doesn't mean it is well applied, or serves the country well in the end.

Apathy and ignorance don't bode well for a democratic system that functions best with an informed citizenry.

 

[karrie]

Apathy and ignorance don't bode well for a democratic system that functions best with an informed citizenry.

No, they don't. But what a teenager has been able to memorize doesn't translate directly into what an adult knows. The US populace may know more about their politics during school, but their voting public is definitely apathetic. The last stats I heard put american voter turnout as hovering around the 50% mark, while Canada is closer to 65%. So, they've done a good job of brainwashing their students... does it help their system?

 

[Tonington]

I'd say a lesson in civics is more useful than simply regurgitating who was the 15th prime Minister, or when the British North America Act was passed, or knowing approximately 1/5 Canadians speak French as their first language.

Want better voter turnout? Vote on-line with your SIN. Want more informed citizenry? Teach civics.

Brainwahing certainly isn't the answer.

 

[smilingfish]

Actually I guess everybody all over the world(including Canadians) knows the history and everything of the US, and few people knows that of Canada. This is not about Brainwashing.

Or, yes it is brainwashing, but they don't just do it on kids, it's basically a worldwide brainwashing.

 

[Pangloss]

Give it a rest.

Canuck kids know far more about our world and Canada's place in it than yanks know about the fiction they are taught in grade school.

We have a higher volunteer rate; higher per capita political party membership rate, higher literacy rate, higher voter turnout rate.

We win. End of argument.

Pangloss

 

[Unforgiven]

Children and youth are warehoused to keep them from getting underfoot of the working populous until a time is reached when they to can be plugged into the work machine to produce their allotment of civilization.

We've for the most part, stopped teaching them what it is to be a human being.

 

[#juan]

Okay. So American school kids know more about politics. I have to ask... so what? Is their political system much better than ours? Are their votes more representative of their population? Is voter turnout higher? Simply knowing more doesn't mean it is well applied, or serves the country well in the end.

Apathy and ignorance don't bode well for a democratic system that functions best with an informed citizenry.

By the time American kids grow up less than half of them even bother to vote. If they are informed, which I doubt, they don't demonstrate it by casting a ballot. Admittedly Canadians aren't much better, but more of us actually get out and vote.

 

[MikeyDB]

Children and youth are warehoused to keep them from getting underfoot of the working populous until a time is reached when they to can be plugged into the work machine to produce their allotment of civilization.

We've for the most part, stopped teaching them what it is to be a human being.

I disagree. Well actually I agree with your closing statement but I belive that industry manufacturing, media and advertisers have an entirely different agenda. Our children are taught/conditioned to be consumers first and human bings second...(if at all)

But hey....

When political systems use bribery and lies to garner votes....it's all the same in the final analysis anyway....

 

[#juan]

Give it a rest.

Canuck kids know far more about our world and Canada's place in it than yanks know about the fiction they are taught in grade school.

We have a higher volunteer rate; higher per capita political party membership rate, higher literacy rate, higher voter turnout rate.

We win. End of argument.

Pangloss

Good post.
Well thought out and researched. :canada:

 

[I think not]

Give it a rest.

It would be great if Canadians with their massive inferioirty complex would give it a rest. :smile:

Canuck kids know far more about our world and Canada's place in it than yanks know about the fiction they are taught in grade school.

And yet 95% of you have no clue who your Head of State is.

We have a higher volunteer rate;

Stats or a mouthful of crap?

higher per capita political party membership rate,

Stats?

higher literacy rate,

Literacy rate is equal at 99%. :roll:

higher voter turnout rate.

Another Canadian popular myth that can't be backed up if your life depended on it.
Canadians gauge their elections by registered electors.
The US gauges their elections by elligible voters.
There is a big a difference. You didn't do your homework.

We win. End of argument.

Pangloss

Oh is that what all that broohaha was aboot? :roll:

Ok, you win. :roll:

 

[thomaska]

It would be great if Canadians with their massive inferioirty complex would give it a rest. :smile:



And yet 95% of you have no clue who your Head of State is.



Stats or a mouthful of crap?



Stats?




Literacy rate is equal at 99%. :roll:



Another Canadian popular myth that can't be backed up if your life depended on it.
Canadians gauge their elections by registered electors.
The US gauges their elections by elligible voters.
There is a big a difference. You didn't do your homework.



Oh is that what all that broohaha was aboot? :roll:

Ok, you win. :roll:

Thank goodness that whole thing is over...I was losing sleep....

Lol..you said aboot....

You know they all make fun of us..sitting around in their bars making fun of us cuz we don't say, "Pittsbuuurrrrruuah" vice Pitts burg. Or is that only their betters, the British?:canada:
;-)

 

[Unforgiven]

Oh what a treasure!

It would be great if Canadians with their massive inferioirty complex would give it a rest. :smile:



And yet 95% of you have no clue who your Head of State is.



Stats or a mouthful of crap?



Stats?




Literacy rate is equal at 99%. :roll:



Another Canadian popular myth that can't be backed up if your life depended on it.
Canadians gauge their elections by registered electors.
The US gauges their elections by elligible voters.
There is a big a difference. You didn't do your homework.



Oh is that what all that broohaha was aboot? :roll:

Ok, you win. :roll:

 

[Curiosity]

Why do normal, intelligent, funloving adults turn into rotating robots when one of these stupid troll-like flamers comes up comparing Canada with another nation (most often the USA) ?

Another day in forae land.

 

[John Hunt]

No, they don't. But what a teenager has been able to memorize doesn't translate directly into what an adult knows. The US populace may know more about their politics during school, but their voting public is definitely apathetic. The last stats I heard put american voter turnout as hovering around the 50% mark, while Canada is closer to 65%. So, they've done a good job of brainwashing their students... does it help their system?




Good point

As you point out, Americans know more about their system, but Canadians are more involved. Is it better that the less informed population is more involved in political processes?

 

[iARTthere4iam]

I had zero interest in any politics until around the age of 23 or 24. We had lessons in school on Canadian politics that I thoroughly ignored as I ignored Greek and Roman history and I would have ignored US history and politics. Schools should be places where people are taught to learn and to develop their curiosity. Rote facts add nothing to a person's life.

 

[karrie]

Good point

As you point out, Americans know more about their system, but Canadians are more involved. Is it better that the less informed population is more involved in political processes?

How do you know that the voting populace is less informed of the issues at hand in the current election? Being able to quote facts of past presidents and such doesn't necessarioly hold any bearing on the issues at hand.

Where are the polls quantifying this?

 

[china]

Unforgiven

We've for the most part, stopped teaching them what it is to be a human being.

As if we were the experts .

[SIZE=-1] I don't think it is so important to "teach children" as it is to awaken their intelligence - and also our own.

[/SIZE]