What's the fastest way to annoy a Canadian?

Call him an American.

When I travel to foreign countries people often assume I'm American. I'm white, I speak English, I don't have a European accent... must be American. Truth be told if you went to a Canadian city or an American city in many cases you wouldn't be able to immediately see a difference unless you were told which country you were in. However, it would become more obvious over time if you knew what to look for.

A border that confuses people

Now Canada has a very long border with the USA and many people travel over that border in both directions. The countries look and feel so similar on first glance that it is easy to forget that you aren't at home anymore when you cross that border. As a Canadian I always find it amusing when I hear stories about Americans coming up with their gun and being indignant when they are told they can't bring it into Canada. But I have a constitutional RIGHT to have my gun!. The problem is, the constitution only holds in the United States--it doesn't cross the border with you.

As a Canadian who loves to travel I find it important to get a feel for the culture I'm going to in an effort to fit in with societal norms. If I was travelling to Saudi Arabia I would take care not to drink alcohol or eat pork. When I was in Japan I took care to be very quiet on public transit. In Singapore no durian fruit on the subway. For anyone coming to Canada being polite and humble is the norm...loud and pushy is looked down on. Every country has societal norms and in their country its their country their rules.

Which is why when people ask me about the Philippines, a country I visit often as I married a Filipina, I often tell them simply. If you go to the country and expect it to be like Canada you will be very disappointed very quickly. If you go with an open mind and try to fit in with the culture you will find it warm and inviting. Or simply whether you love it or hate it is up to you and your viewpoint.

Are societal norms oppressive?

Foreigners may think: "How can you abide with a society that doesn't drink alcohol or eat pork. That's so restrictive!". You know what? I'm certain that some people in the country think exactly the same thing. In Japan I bet some people wish they could jam to their favorite music on the subway. In Singapore I bet some people wish they could bring Durian home on the subway. However, I will also bet that those people are in the minority (I mean have you ever smelled a Durian...ick).

Why do I say that? Because societal rules are a reflection on the will of the people. The laws a country make are reflective of what the people wish...in general. Well, at least in a democracy where people have a say. Don't believe me? Go back in time in the USA or Canada and women were second class citizens with no right to vote. Go back even further and children were the property of the parents. Womens rights and the rights of the child were not enshrined into law and it was normal for adult men to have the majority of power. Bring those old time views to modern society and they will stick out badly.

Societal norms are by definition what society deems normal and acceptable. There will always be people who don't fit into "normal" but if enough people change then what is acceptable changes. It is never seen as oppressive to the norm because normal and oppressive don't live together. So for Americans who feel its abnormal to leave home without a gun? In Canada it is perfectly normal! That may change someday when society changes but for now its just accepted in Canada and unquestioned by most.

Oppression comes with the minority rule

To be certain there are some who feel oppressed in every country. While I will not say it as certainty I do believe that gun lovers would feel oppressed in Canada. In the same way I believe marijuana smokers would feel oppressed in Japan and those who are LBGTQ2S+ may feel oppressed in many areas of the world. In many cases it is because they fall outside what is considered normal for the country.

However there are places where a minority make rules for the majority. In some cases such as North Korea there is ONE leader who impose their will on an entire country. Society norm is replaced by the will of the leader. I would postulate that is where true oppression comes. Right now there is also a special case going on in the United States. It is a country where every person believes in their personal freedom (from what I can tell its a cultural thing) but what their freedom allows is hotly contested by two different sides which are each roughly half the population. When society can't make up its mind on consensus or when people refuse to go along with the majority...things get ugly.

My viewpoint: It's not about me

It may be a Canadian thing or possibly a Christian thing but it is my viewpoint that things are better when we understand that US is more important than ME. I've been taught "When in Rome do as Romans do" and to "Make no offense wherever I go" and "give up my freedoms to foster peace and unity". I do this not as a doormat but as making a conscious decision to try and live in harmony. In some countries I would absolutely find things oppressive and unrealistic but I believe the true litmus test is do the locals find it oppressive or unrealistic. IF they are free to choose what society wants then unrealistic is subjective. IF rules are imposed by a minority then I believe unrealistic goes from subjective to objective.

Just my thoughts but that's my viewpoint in response to the Hive Learners post given this week. As always I love feedback and as always thank you for making it to the end of my article.

Thank you.