canadian images - lesson 1

what is the common critical view of Canada?

Qualitative/anecdotal — social media

• imperialist and colonialist state

• nation rooted in white supremacy + systemic racism

• exploitatative capitalist state - inequality and exploitation are rampant

what is the global empirical view/reality on canada

canada ranks high in global placings

• UN development: 17/193

what are flaws in the critical view and empirical view of Canada

1. Anecdotal vs. empirical data

• relies on isolated negative stories rather than empirical data

• availability bias: focusing on readily recalled examples

2. shifting definitions: redefines terms (violence, racism) without acknowledging the changed definition

• we need to acknowledge changes and look at other perspectives

3. lack of comparative perspective: not looking at global issues as well

what is hedonic adaptation and what is it associated with

humans adapt quickly to conditions and then begin to take them for granted

• tailwinds hypothesis

what is the tailwinds theory

a force pushing you forward without resistance

• since you aren’t facing the force (wind), you forget that it is assisting you

what are the 4 canadian tailwinds

1. scientific progress and capitalist prosperity

• eliminates basic survival threats — high baseline material living standards

2. rule of law

• nobody is above the law

3. well-functioning democratic institutions

• stable governance, peaceful, low corruption

4. legacies of accommodating difference

• compromise, able to live among each other

• linguistics, cultures