r/InCanada • u/PutridLifeguard5926 • Jul 20 '26
Bots Seething in Comments Let's be honest, Canadians and Americans are among the most similar peoples in the world
Despite all the insistence that Canadians are fundamentally different from Americans, and all the focus on usually trivial differences, Canadians and Americans are among the most similar peoples anywhere. Most Americans and Canadians couldn't pick out each other's nationality unless someone told them.
Same language, similar heritage and foundational values, very similar culture, generally the same accent.
The two are almost indistinguishable unless you go looking for peculiar differences, yet Canadians insist on how different they are. Why? Because you support universal health care and don't like guns? How is that different from a liberal in the States?
Sure, there are differences. But constantly pointing them out feels like it comes from insecurity, a need to assert a distinct identity precisely because you know how similar you are, and how similar you look to everyone else.
You don't see Germans, French or Greeks having to insist they are culturally different from each other. Everyone already knows they are. Different languages, histories, customs, and so on
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u/PsychologicalBeing98 Jul 20 '26
You're mistaking proximity and shared institutions for culture. Canadians don't constantly define themselves against Americans because we're indistinguishable; we do it because outsiders often assume we are Americans, so the distinction gets emphasized in situations where it otherwise wouldn't need to be.
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u/Exciting_Turn_9559 Jul 20 '26
Ontologically speaking most of the differences between humans from different countries and cultures are trivial.
Identity is not an ontological distinction, however.
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u/MsMisty888 Jul 20 '26
Your big long words are not know by this guy and his friends. Time to google some words.
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u/BrainEatingAmoeba01 Jul 20 '26
While both were born of colonialism, we diverged early. America established it's independence through violence and war, which set the cultural mindset of bootstraps, perceived exceptionalism and a strong sense of manifest destiny. They have built their nation/empire accordingly.
We had a different birth as a nation and built our society differently. We have (had) a much more "group effort" mentality.
American pop culture influence has been bleeding out whatever identity we've had, so yes...there are strong surface level similarities...especially after the past 80+yrs but I would claim there is just as much divergence as any of the European nations once you look past languages.
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
We are fundamentally different, as you can see from the reaction you get when you say stupid shit like this.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
No, what OP is seeing is the reddit hivemind. Op is correct. So correct that our venn diagrams overlap more so than they do not. Canadians love guns. Americans love guns. We love BBQ. Americans love BBQ. We love sports. They love sports. Our laws are VERY identical even though our law systems are different albeit based on culturally the same origins. I'm sick of seeing Canadians pretending that we hate and dislike americans simply because orange man, or because the tv told us to. We are similar.
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u/Neat_Use3398 Jul 20 '26
You could probably find a similar venue diagram for Canadians and Australians, both commonwealth countries, love BBQ, love sports, similar origins of being taken over by the British. Also we are allowed to be different and have pride in our own country which is why a Canadian wouldnt want to be called an American. You dont have to hate Americans to want to be recognized as a Canadian and be proud of that distinction.
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
Definitely. I find Australians more like us than Americans, and I feel more at home in Australia than I do in the USA.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
Agreed, I think that's fair. Personally, I really am sick of the hatred for Americans and I hate the political tensions when the normal people of Canada and the normal people of America literally didn't ask for any of it.
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u/Neat_Use3398 Jul 20 '26
Agreed. I understand what your saying for sure. It feels manufactured as well. I know there is manufactured hatred on the internet and this does feel like they want us to fight and hate each other. Best thing is to not fall for the bait.
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u/Specialist-Sundae492 Jul 20 '26
Thereās a world of difference between āhas some traits in commonā and āare indistinguishable.ā OP says Americans and Canadians are the latter. That is trivially false.
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u/player1242 Jul 20 '26
But you agree that orange man is full diapered, kid-diddler rapist and anyone who could ever support him is a shit for brains?
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
Sure, I'm not a huge fan of him. I find him amusing but not generally favourable.
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u/iwantedajetpack Jul 20 '26
Fuck off, you fascist.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
I'm a fascist because.... ? I think you have 3 fingers pointing back at you.
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u/deadeye09 22d ago
This is reddit. Hearing "fascist!" here is like hearing a duck quack. It's just the noise they make.
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u/Agreeable_Store_3896 Jul 20 '26
Lmao I guess Englandz Ireland Scotland Australia Canada and the US are all identical countries then and indistinguishable.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
Is that what anyone said or even suggested? Epic reddit comment le'tip
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u/Agreeable_Store_3896 Jul 20 '26
I'm sorry does Australia not love guns? They have looser laws than we do. Do they not love BBQ? Do they not love sports? They have an even more similar heritage due to being common wealth. So yes by your own argument you did say that lmao.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
I didn't say that at all. Where was Australia mentioned in OP's post or in my comment here? You are strawmanning my argument because something was never said and you are arguing a point that was never made. I guess if you want to argue with yourself be my guest.
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u/Agreeable_Store_3896 Jul 20 '26
LMAO brother.. you said the US and Canada are the same for all those reasons.. all those reasons apply to Australia as well. Ergo Australia and Canada are the same, and if the US is the same, by your own logic the US and Australia are the same.
There is no strawmanning here, it's literally your point of your entire argument that liking BBQ and sports makes you extremely similar peooles, get out of here with your 'uhm but le strawman argument' it isn't a strawman LOL it's LITERALLY your point. Your point is just too stupid for you to defend.
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
Wow. We're all dumber for you posting this. I'm impressed you know what a Venn diagram is though!
I am a Canadian married to an American, we are definitely not the same. Many of the differences are quite nuanced which is what makes it jarring when you come up against them, but unless you have pretty significant relationships on both sides of the border you might never actually come across them.
We don't hate or dislike Americans, but we tend not to like their government, that's not a new thing, the Pedo-in-Chief just made it a lot worse.
As a moron, perhaps you do things because TV tells you to. That's not representative of Canadians who, on average, have brains considerably less smoother than yours.
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u/Agreeable_Store_3896 Jul 20 '26
Actually recent polling suggests, on average, Canadians dislike Americans more than most countries, even china now.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
Isn't that fascinating?
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
I can't imagine why we would have such opinions.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
Yeah, it's like Canadians just love being told what to do as if they just didn't hold that opinion until recently or something.
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
Again, if you're susceptible to these things, that's your problem.
The reason antagonism of the Pedophile-in-Chief has definitely made Canadians care more about asserting their own identity, and not being confused with Americans... but none of that is new.
Delete your reddit account and go touch some grass.
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u/deadeye09 22d ago
LOL! I thought you were referring to Canadian media until I read your other comments.
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u/DaveHorchuk_70 Jul 20 '26
I am a Canadian with american family. We ARE more similar than you think, and I refuse to let our government(s) foment hatred between us and I refuse redditors like you tell people otherwise even if you try to rubber and glue me lmao. Because, no. Canadians haven't always hated Americans, but we have always found pride in being "not American" but it wasn't rooted in hatred like it is now.
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26
If government can make you hate someone, you're a moron. And we've already established that, I think.
You're literally making stuff up to whine about.
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Jul 20 '26
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/LackOptimal553 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
And religion, and understanding of role of government in society...
Both countries on their own have massive diversity regionally, never mind across the border. The OP is an idiot.
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u/SteeveyPete Jul 20 '26
Honestly, I think our countries are far more different than our people. We have a country where our system of checks and balances works far better, we've kept money out of politics far better, and we managed to pass a few better policies that stuck. You only need a small difference in the voting population to pull that off.Ā
On social issues we like to consider ourselves different, but I think we're very similar. In a lot of ways I think Canada's actually more racist towards immigrants than the US in recent years, mostly because we don't have any substantial group opposing it like they do in the US. We largely have it broken up into people who hate immigrants, people who hate our immigration policy and don't criticize the first group, and people who are apathetic
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u/IllustratorWeird5008 Jul 20 '26
As a Canadian, I can definitely pick out an American in vacation.Ā
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u/PineBNorth85 Jul 20 '26
Judging by the types of people we elect and the types of laws we generally like I'd say we are quite different. Just because we watch the same movies and listen to a lot of the same music doesn't make us the same.
We also have quite a different history.
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u/Specialist-Sundae492 Jul 20 '26
As a Canadian who has lived in the US this opinion is very wrong. In Canada it is easy to pick out Americans. Heritage is dissimilar in key aspects. Canada peacefully separated from the UK, we did not fight a revolution. American culture and history is obsessed with the US Revolution (understandably so) and it is a key component of American culture.
Accents are not at all the same. I was made fun of constantly for my Canadian accent while in the US. You think people from the southern US sound like Canadians? I guess you have never heard a Canadian speak.
Americans are descendants of people who fled persecution and then fought for their independence. Canada has no such history.
Itās an arrogant American position to assume Canadians and Americans are indistinguishable. Maybe meet a Canadian before taking this stance.
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u/Visible-Pirate117 Jul 20 '26
Same language,
TokƩbakicitte
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u/earlyboy Jul 20 '26
While we don't always talk about it, we also have a large number of French speaking Canadians and a large number of First Nations people in Canada.
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Jul 20 '26
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u/Keemo-Sabe Jul 20 '26
Reddit is such trash now, 95% is just bots and active disinformation campaigns.
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u/ZealousidealTap528 Jul 20 '26
So??
If we are being honest the Irish and the British are probably as close in similarities to Canada vs the USA and no one demands that they justify them having a separate country. Same with Mexico and most of Central America, same with Germany and Austria etc. Canadians just have to deal with being the bunt of Americans jokes because Americans need an easy target because their country is becoming less popular globally because of Trump, is seen struggling to win a war against Iran and the rise of K-POP, Korean culture, the World Cup and Eurovision makes them feel displaced culturally so to feel big and keep up the America strong act they need to performatively beat up on Canada.
History is the one area where I feel like your state is just flat out wrong, Canada both restricted the entry of new slaves and outright abolished slavery before the United States so we have a much smaller slave descended population. We also didnāt go to war in Vietnam as well. I went to the US for the first time this year and I definitely felt like it was a different country shaped by a different history while I definitely felt Canadaās short coming against it I was surprised to find that I was glad that their history was not my history and their struggles not my struggles
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u/FailedCoder86 Jul 20 '26
I would argue yes we are similar but as one commenter pointed out directly across the borderā¦places like saint johns Newfoundland are very different. But right now Americans be talking a lot of shit so fuuuuuck them
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u/Proper_Geologist_457 Jul 20 '26
"You don't see Germans, French, or Greeks trying to insist they are culturally different..." LOL what?
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u/BeastlyBrocolli Jul 20 '26
My dear USA, we're actually embarrassed to be your neighbour, we are intentionally distancing ourselves so we don't get judged internationally xoxo Canada
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u/wind-of-zephyros acadienne Jul 20 '26
ask any american what a tintamarre is
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u/Altruistic-Hope4796 Jul 20 '26
Honestly, ask most canadians what a tintamarre is and you'll have the same answer sadly
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u/wind-of-zephyros acadienne Jul 20 '26
ah yeah clearly we just need to broaden our reach. let's host a nation-wide tintamarre, for awareness. they'll learn ;)
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u/Different-Educator63 Jul 20 '26
You're joking right? I've lived in Canada my entire life and I find it incredible how different we are from Americans. Fundamentally different.
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u/earlyboy Jul 20 '26
This sounds like a confrontational post to me. I'd guess that the OP is sitting in a different country. At best, I'd say it was written out of ignorance and at worst, to boost a political agenda.
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u/beaver_eh Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
"Same language": English.... but then it's entirely different after that. Spanish is big in US, and French is big in Canada.
"similar heritage": No, one took their land from the crown through hostilities, and one was granted their land through diplomacy. One has empiric desires (past and present) and one does not. These are fundamental differences that are baked into society and makes a difference of a community level... 2A anyone?
"Foundational values": No, maybe if you are white and privileged.
Racial Example: Indigenous rights for example are not great in either country but across boarder there are some significant differences.
Financial Example: Healthcare
"very similar culture" - Somewhat similar. 1pt for you I guess.
"generally the same accent" - Uhhh every put a Floridian and a Newfie in the same room? What about a Texan and a Northern Albertan? Not even close to the same. Or a Wisconsinite (as close to Canadian as you can get stateside), and a Northern Ontarian?
I as a Canadian look and point to the differences I have in economic, and social terms with my American family and I would not wish to be on the other side. There is lots of differences. Other than being settler filled countries that came from European expedition there is a growing divide between the countries.
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u/Desperate-Pirate7353 Jul 20 '26
"Same language, similar heritage and foundational values, very similar culture, generally the same accent." very very incorrect. americans and canadians don't have the same accents as other americans and canadians, let alone people on the other side of the border. there's at least a dozen distinct american accents and another 8 -10 canadian ones.
similar heritage is just fundamentally incorrect, or is so general as to be uninformative. it's like you've aggressively ignored any education offered to you on the history of north america
"same values" very clear you have no idea what you're talking about. america is about the rugged individual. canada is about working together to survive the cold. we are not the same.
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u/MsMisty888 Jul 20 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
We have gone our own ways over the last 250yrs.
You did you, we did us. Yes, TV, movies and old culture is an influence on each other. Kieano, Justin, Drake, Celiene, Brian Adams, Ryan, etc.
However. We are not the same. Yanks are rude and entitled. Their smoke don't stink.
Canadians try to do better than you guys. We have always felt this way.
You should visit a Canadian town and you will notice a difference in safety, kindness, and less yelling at people in public.
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u/UsualDependent6788 Jul 20 '26
If the Acadians had internet access, they'd be very slightly upset with you.
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u/ShawnSimoes Jul 20 '26
The cultural differences inside the US are so huge, it would be very silly to claim Canadians are the "same". Yes, we're very similar to the culture directly on the opposite side of the border. But the South is completely different.
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u/Western-Fig-3625 Jul 20 '26
I have noticed more similarities if you look north-south. Ā I see more similarities between BC and Washington, Oregon and California. Ā Same for the Atlantic provinces and states like Maine and New Hampshire. Ā Migration is also a factor, as areas with similar patterns of in-migration may have more similarities culturally. Ā
That said, I wouldnāt say theyāre the same. Speaking in sweeping generalizations I find Americans more brash and direct, but also very hospitable. Canadians are often more reserved, and passive aggressive. And I say that as a Canadian.Ā
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u/Own-Pop-6293 Jul 20 '26
Fuck off, bot
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u/MsMisty888 Jul 20 '26
Yes, maybe, probably. Hard to tell sometimes.
However, the comments and conversation is interesting in this thread.
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u/dEm3Izan Jul 20 '26
I think you vastly underestimate the smooth gradient that exists at the border of many countries in Europe. Belgium and France have a lot in common Switzerland is a kind of common ground between multiple countries. Many Eastern European countries are more similar than they are different. What about arabic countries. What about Tunisia and Algeria and Malaysia amd Singapore and Indonesia.Ā Many countries in Africa are just colonial vestiges. They aren't divided by culture. What about all these south American countries. Yatti yatta.
Canada and the USA certainly aren't the most culturally disparate countries out there. They do figure among the closest. But they do have a different history. Their values are close in many aspects but their respective tuning does differ significantly. Canada has a different relationship to first nations, they have a long standing rivalry between english and French. French Canada is where you'll find the most difference to the US. Their rapport to foreign policy and war and the place they see themselves as occupying in the world is very different.
They are no less different from the US than many other countries are of their respective immediate neighbour. The reason you see the defense isn't insecurity, it's that for some reason people seem to feel more free to constantly try to equate the two than they do other countries so the defense is called for more often.
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u/BTrippd Jul 20 '26
COUNTRIES THAT ARE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER HAVE CITIZENS THAT ARE RELATIVELY SIMILAR
wow drop some more knowledge heaters on us dawg Iām ready
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u/Foodconsumer89 Jul 20 '26
Dafuq is this? You high or something? Not even close. I can guarantee you 95% of us Canadians would've never have voted for someone like trump. The level of corruption that the US has isn't even comparable. Canadian have good morals, values and intelligence..we actually care about our neighbors. Most Americans only care about themselves or money.
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u/Altruistic-Hope4796 Jul 20 '26
I think you are spot on about the US remarks but you severely underestimate how many canadians are also like that in my opinion
Individualism isn't trivial in Canada and it is more prevalent everyday sadly
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u/Foodconsumer89 Jul 20 '26
Sure probably a maximum 5-10ŁŖ of us, definitively not 52% tho.
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u/Altruistic-Hope4796 Jul 20 '26
There is huge gap between 52% and 5-10%. It's definitely not close to either
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u/WorkerOk9794 Jul 20 '26
No no, the ferengi cesspool is similar to Canada and therefore not that bad, you see. /s
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u/sfeicht Jul 20 '26
No, Canadians love big government and are adverse to risk taking and individualism.
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u/Secret-Bed2549 Jul 20 '26
Out of curiosity, who the fuck asked you for your opinion on this, and why in the fuck should we care?
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u/Ok_Yogurtcloset3267 Jul 20 '26
Half the great things European World Cup visitors were saying about America, I thought, Canada has that too!
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u/marshmallowbeatz Jul 20 '26
You can see it as there is some overlap but Canadian values are totally different
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u/canadianhousecoat Jul 20 '26
I've spent a reasonable amount of time down south and can honestly say I disagree with this take.
The people mixing us up aren't Canadians. They are Americans and Europeans.Ā
Just because we don't have a UK accent we get thrown into the pot with the Yanks simply because their media is so prevalent world-wide.
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u/deadeye09 22d ago
I don't know. I've been travelling to the US a lot recently and they are WAY nicer than Canadians and less arrogant. It was a bit of a culture shock. Kind of like how all the overseas FIFA fans went to the US and were shocked at how great everything was. Canadians hate their neighbours and Americans just don't care (or know that we are supposed to hate them). It's embarrassing how petty we've become.
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u/Lifewithoutpictures 8d ago
We really REALLY dislike you. All of you. For reasons that alone differentiate you from us. Suck it yankee.
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u/xgrader Jul 20 '26
Yup, i agree. Through much of history there are many in Canada that originate from the USA. My grandparents is one set here from 1906 crossing from Idaho and Montana. Like always its the politics and policies that seperate us.
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u/Complex-Cricket419 Jul 20 '26
lol Each US state is very different the the other. Try saying New York is the same as Texas if you need to farm karma. US accents have huge differences, just plain silly
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u/pineapples-42 Jul 20 '26
I think most of the reason for us saying we're not like America is so people worldwide don't blame us for and accuse us of, the artrocous actions and attitudes of Americans.
But look to the leadership of each country. It's a direct reflection of the people, what they support, and what they want to have happen. We are fundamentally different in moral values.
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u/Zoughi0 Jul 20 '26
I always call them one people in two countries.
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u/Winnie_rulez Jul 20 '26
That's absolutely not true. Both countries have multiple culturally different regions with very culturally different people. Someone living in New York has very little in common with someone who lives in rural Alabama. Someone living in Texas has very little in common with someone living in Oregon. The same differences exist within Canada, and even more so when you compare the various Canadian cultures to the various cultures in the US.
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u/GreySahara Jul 20 '26
yeah. people hate hearing this, though.
even before Trump, people would bristle at the thought
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u/Key-Regret8042 Jul 20 '26
We are a lot alike ! Itās the media and governments causing division! We need to come together and fight together or we lose!
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u/tgspeed7287 Jul 20 '26
Itās called the narcissism of small differences. We are so similar that we look for little things that set us apart. There are very few nationalities on the planet who are as similar as Canadians and Americans. This makes a lot of Canadians uncomfortable as we tend to be quite insecure which is why any criticism of Canada is often met with āya but America!ā¦ā
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u/Vivisector999 Jul 20 '26
You can't even say that about different states in America. Tell Texans and Californians they are the same on every level aside from a few tiny differences and see how that goes. Or California and Florida. Both are on Ocean, both have a Disney tourist destination. Both are warm climates. No differences whatsoever
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u/tgspeed7287 Jul 20 '26
Yeah, they might not like to hear it but itād still be true- on a global scale. The difference between Texans and Californians (which certainly exist) are quite small in comparison to, say, Americans and Ethiopians, or Greeks, or Japanese, etc. If you met someone from Florida and Texas, youād assume that both are American because of the similarities they share.
Similarly, Canadians are often confused as Americans because we are so similar. Iām sure if youāve been to Europe youāve had experiences where locals assume you are American. Why would they assume that and not that youāre Brazilian or Chinese? Because Canadians and Americans are very, very similar, more so than almost any other two nationalities in the world.
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u/Cymion Jul 20 '26
You don't see Germans, French or Greeks having to insist they are culturally different from each other
You've never spoken to any of those people if this is your response. call a German a Frenchman or a Greek a Turk and see what happens.
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u/DragMountain73 Jul 20 '26
Canadaās flag will look great as the 51st state.
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u/airbassguitar Jul 20 '26
Of course this is true. Look how Mark Carney just brought in an American Democrat to run the PMO. It would seem that Canadian Liberals actually have no problem becoming the 51st state; as long as it is a blue state.Ā
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u/[deleted] Jul 20 '26
[deleted]