My current best explanation for it all is that the US started declining decades earlier than we have, and so you have a lot more people who are further along the process of accepting that it is over. I'd place your peak in terms of material standards of living in 1972, and ours in 2008. I think it's a mix of factors: Quebec viciously fought efforts to create a kleptocracy of the sort your country is burdened with; since the end of World War II keeping Canada happy has been a core element of American foreign policy, so we got much more than our fair share of the spoils of the American Empire; and the costs of keeping the empire are borne by your country and not mine.
Whatever the cause, this meant that from 1972 until 2008 American politics and society were dealing with the end of progress; while we weren't. So your politics and leaders looked insane, while ours didn't, but only because ours didn't need to deal with a society in crisis. Now that we do, you have two major advantages: one is that Americans are, as a society, much further along the grieving process; and the other is that since your standards of living started dropping decades ago, you don't have as far to fall.
I think this is what's driving the current insanity here: in the states, a lot of people are in the depression/acceptance stage for the process of grieving the end of progress; almost all Canadians are somewhere between denial and bargaining. Very few of us have actually come to terms with the realities we face today.
As for my program, I think it'll be okay, although I'm not looking forward to online classes. I simply cannot learn anything that way. However, it is what it is, and I don't see much I can do to change it. I'm just hoping we don't get something insane like the proposal for all online trades training, but I don't see much I can do to avoid that outcome if that's where our province decides to do.
That makes a ton of sense. I wanted to move to Canada back around 2000 because there was and still is a much more receptive audience for the type of music I do there. Chicago is all about its cover bands, loud bar music, jazz and blues. There is a big folk scene but it never fit the type of introspective gothic ethereal music I write.
I think you are absolutely correct. Canadians got way too used to being upwardly mobile whereas down here it has been dog eat dog for a long time.
I think that's a great point, Mollari. I was born in the late 70s in U.S. flyover country and it seems like I've only ever seen decline around me. It was papered over for a while with internet and shiny tech gadgets, but that was a temporary cover up. In fact, from my perspective the internet really just made it apparent to the hinterlands how much they have been sucked dry over the decades. It enabled everyone to learn how the other half has been living.
Well, I've just had to move things up a lot: the government is promising everyone will be eligible for a vaccine by the end of May. Which means that I think I need a place for June. What's really funny, and quite telling, is that as soon as that announcement happened, a lot of apartments were rented very quickly; it looks like an awful lot of people are planning to move out in order to avoid the vaccine issue with their family.
Also, having roommates is no longer an option, because the government is apparently considering allowing people to force anyone they live with to get a vaccine. I haven't been able to confirm this, but it would be in character for them....
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
Whatever the cause, this meant that from 1972 until 2008 American politics and society were dealing with the end of progress; while we weren't. So your politics and leaders looked insane, while ours didn't, but only because ours didn't need to deal with a society in crisis. Now that we do, you have two major advantages: one is that Americans are, as a society, much further along the grieving process; and the other is that since your standards of living started dropping decades ago, you don't have as far to fall.
I think this is what's driving the current insanity here: in the states, a lot of people are in the depression/acceptance stage for the process of grieving the end of progress; almost all Canadians are somewhere between denial and bargaining. Very few of us have actually come to terms with the realities we face today.
As for my program, I think it'll be okay, although I'm not looking forward to online classes. I simply cannot learn anything that way. However, it is what it is, and I don't see much I can do to change it. I'm just hoping we don't get something insane like the proposal for all online trades training, but I don't see much I can do to avoid that outcome if that's where our province decides to do.
no subject
I think you are absolutely correct. Canadians got way too used to being upwardly mobile whereas down here it has been dog eat dog for a long time.
Best of luck on your move.
no subject
no subject
(Anonymous) 2021-05-01 07:17 pm (UTC)(link)Also, having roommates is no longer an option, because the government is apparently considering allowing people to force anyone they live with to get a vaccine. I haven't been able to confirm this, but it would be in character for them....
no subject
no subject