Canadian Stereotypes

Canadian Stereotypes Essay

As I write this, I sit inside my igloo with a warm glass of maple syrup next to me and my moose “Rex” curled up in a ball just outside. Just hearing that sentence probably made you think of a Canadian even though, except in rare cases, none of it is true about me. Stereotypes are impossible to avoid. No matter what country you live in, or what race you are, people will be able to set you into a group based only on stereotypes they have heard about you. Stereotypes are often started by a lack of knowledge in a certain subject. Justin Bieber claims that in Canada we have spaghetti and milk and even though none of this is true, in time people all around the world may think of Canadians as milk and pasta people. I can think of many stereotypes that people from other countries have tried to associate me with, such as saying ‘a boot’ instead of ‘about’ or that we all ride dogsleds. As suggested in the ‘I am Canadian Rant’ we don’t know Joe or Sally or Suzy, even though he’s sure they’re really nice. Canadian stereotypes don’t allow people to see Canadians for who they really are, but instead for whom everyone thinks we are. As a Canadian I have become accustomed to people just assuming that because I am Canadian I do certain things. These activities include dog sledding, riding moose, living in an igloo, or even drinking maple syrup. Almost all of these stereotypes have started as a misconception of the Canadian way of life, and spread though media such as magazine, celebrities, and the internet. As stated in the ‘Huffington Post’ article about Justin Bieber, Bieber was quoted mistaking the Sixteenth Chapel for the Sistine Chapel and saying that in Canada we eat Spaghetti and Milk. This gives people ideas of how all Canadians are just because Justin Bieber, a supposed representation of Canada, said it. If people were able to see through just one’s person’s thoughts and actually see for themselves, less silly stereotypes would be created. But not all stereotypes are rude or bad. Like stated in the “I am Canadian Rant” the spokesperson states that even though he doesn’t know your Canadian friends, he is sure that they are really nice which is true. Canadian are all known to be really nice or really funny, even though not all Canadians are nice or funny. Stereotypes can be started and spread in many different ways. One of the biggest ways of spreading rumors is through famous people and how they represent their country. Sadly, Justin Bieber is a Canadian represent who reaches to audiences all the way across the world. This is one of the reasons that people from other countries have these misconceptions about Canada. The process starts by Justin Bieber, or someone like Justin Bieber, saying something completely wrong about Canada. An example of this would have been in the Huffington post when Justin Bieber says that we Canadians have milk and spaghetti. Then people all across the world who are following people on his social networks see this and believe him thus creating a stereotype. These stereo are often what people associate me with even though I have nothing to do with it, therefore giving me a fake identity. This makes people see me not for who I am but for what they think I am. There are many Canadian stereotypes that I am associated with. If I go online to play a game and it slips out in conversation that I am a Canadian, instantly people start making assumption about how I live and what I do. An example of some the misconceptions, or stereotypes, that us Canadians associated with can be found in the “I am Canadian Rant” by the Molson beer company could be: We know everyone here, we eat lard, we bob sled, we say ‘A-boot” and not ‘about’. All of these stereotypes and more are what are associated with me and how people perceive me. Even though these stereotypes are not true about me, they still shape who I am because of the fact that this who people see me as. These stereotypes make up my identity because don one else can say that they ‘drink maple syrup’ or ‘ride a moose to school’ because these stereotypes are associated with Canadian. Stereotypes spread through ads still affect who I am. Canadian stereotypes don’t allow people to see Canadians for who they really are, but instead for whom everyone thinks we are. They can be found anywhere and can be created very easily just like in “I am Candian Rant” and Justin Bieber interview which an affect on me and who people think I am. From being looked at as a stupid country just because of one person’s mistakes or being known for many different things that someone may even be proud of these stereotypes show little to no truth about what people such as myself are really like. Stereotypes are a barrier which don’t allow people to see others and myself as who they really are.