Soviet Canuckistani Rivals North Korea in Anti-American Rhetoric

Grant McCracken writes:

Anti-Americanism is rampant. Many Canadians now make free with the most derogatory comments about their southern neighbors. They are pleased to call Americans stupid, aggressive, and vulgar. They are quick to say that Bush is a moron. (And here I have to bite my tongue to keep from saying, "well, he may not be Stephen Hawking but he is almost certainly smarter than you.") Want an easy laugh at a gathering of Canadians? Say something anti-American. No sooner have you spoken than the room is awash in self congratulation. American bashing is now a Canadian pastime, as passionately pursued as road hockey and Tim Horton do-nuts.

Indeed, I have not heard prejudice as unabashed as this since I spent a summer in the south of France and listened to locals let fly with anti-Semitic sentiments. (I do not mean to compare anti-Americanism to anti-Semitism, but merely the unapologetic ease with which both sentiments are, in this case, offered.) Canadians pride themselves on being open minded and cosmopolitan. But here they are stupid, aggressive, and vulgar.

This is a classic "clique effect," according to which the members of a comparison set who are judged and found wanting have two choices: to accept the judgment or to cultivate values that release them from the comparison. This is a kind of "you can't judge me, I march to a different drummer" strategy.

I've written about this recently myself, and I have to say that Grant has a much clearer understanding and better powers of expression on this issue than I do. I doff my hat to the master!

Hat tip to Virginia Postrel.