Michael Adams, author of Fire & Ice: The US, Canada and the
Myth of Converging Values, is a pollster for Environics
Research. Not surprisingly, the data that he uses to support his thesis
is based on comprehensive and rigorous polling of Canadians and
Americans about what is important to them, and how that is changing
over time. His thesis, which got some headlines in the NYT
yesterday, is the same one I laid out in my article Why
Canadians Fear America: that, far from being Americans 'lite',
Canadians have fundamentally different values and worldviews from
Americans, and those differences are increasing. Canadians are now much
closer to their European contemporaries than to Americans, closer to
Europeans, in fact, than are the British. America is now largely
isolated in its prevailing worldview from the rest of the developed
world. Its values are closer to those of autocractic developing nations
than to those of other nations
that have made the transition to democracy and constitutional
liberalism.
Here's the author's explanation of the chart above:
Your personal position can be
interpreted along two major explanatory dimensions, or axes of social
values. The first axis of explanation of social values, shown here as
the vertical or y-axis, describes a general orientation toward the
acceptance versus rejection of long-standing social norms in society,
that is, an outlook that is either deferential to traditional mores and
institutions, labelled "Authority", or one that is more modern and
questioning, labelled "Individuality". The second axis, shown here as
the horizontal or x-axis, describes a general outlook toward, and
valuing of, pragmatism and competitiveness, labelled "Survival", or a
world view that is more idealistic and postmodern, here labelled
"Fulfillment."
Taken together, these two axes form four general quadrants of
explanation or meaning underlying people's values. People in the upper
left are fundamentally motivated by needs for stability, security and
status, and exhibit a strong work ethic. Those in the upper right most
value ethics, duty, and responsibility within their families and
communities. Meanwhile, those with values that place them in the lower
right primarily search for personal control, and are open-minded,
flexible and idealistic. And finally, individuals in the lower left
pursue, above all else, novelty, excitement and risk.
The median scores for Americans tend slightly to the upper left, far
more deferential to tradition and authority, and with a more
status-conscious, competitive, survival & security bent than their
neighbours to the North. Canadians are more skeptical of
authority and tradition (men especially), and more idealistic and
consensus-seeking (women especially).
What is even more striking is the trend over time. In the
US, values are becoming more fatalistic, angry, apathetic and fearful
(in 1992 American men and women were both in the upper right
quadrant). Meanwhile, in Canada, attitudes have moved sharply from the
centre to the lower right quadrant, manifested by increased ecological
concern, empathy, respect for diversity, egalitarianism and
entrepreneurialism. Or, depending on your point of view, increased naivete.
Differences by age group are also interesting, with most American
seniors in the upper left quadrant, and most senior Canadians in the
upper right, while most Americans under 30 are deep in the lower left
quadrant and their young Canadian counterparts even deeper in the lower
right.
If you want to see where you sit in the continuum you can take
the survey online. When you're done, you'll see your personal
worldview on the same grid shown above. I'd bet that most Salon
bloggers, and readers of How to Save
the World , are closer to the Canadian median on this chart than
to the American median.
Oh, and that little green dot in the corner of the chart is my result.
I'm sure no one is surprised. But even if you're an American in one of
those other quadrants, remember I still love you.
|
MADE IN CANADA
trust your
instincts 
