So, since i have built up momentum in the 127th round of this immigration points business i may as well get this out of my system, too.
Well.
Canada's national symbolism looks...
Weak? Uninformative?
Well, it's... something.
You'll see what i mean:
1. The flag.
First of all, the flag violates a rather simple rule for flags: A child should be able to draw it from memory.
Of course you can compromise on the quality of the leaf/camel/helicopter/whatever a given child may happen to draw.
But yeah...this is a common illness in the anglosphere. You people apparently can't keep your flags simple.
The bigger problem though is that, apparently - feel free to correct me, none of this means anything. The bars don't mean anything. The white doesn't mean anything. The red barely if at all means anything. Not officially anyway.
The leaf is from a song nobody cares about, which is mostly about England and the Queen (Victoria).
It's basically there to inform the casual beholder that - wait for it - there are trees in Canada.
Pretty Trees. Just the right height!
Let me give you an example for contrast:
This is a six color flag (!) that is still heradically correct (!) that a child can draw (!) and that has obvious (!) and powerful (!) symbolism:
2. The anthem.
You recently had a thread about this: Yes, "sons", very problematic.
I find the use of the term "native" odd but that's neither here or there.
The bigger problem is that the anthem doesn't mean much of anything either.
It informs us that... Canada is in the north. And not just any north, no. The true north.
This isn't normal either. Usually anthems have a bit more to tell.
In my view, if one has started an anthem with "oh" one is allready on the wrong track.
Plenty of anthems start with "arise" or some such as the first word (e.g. France).
Some start with some noun to be aspired to (like them people with their "unity").
Just for the record, let's have ourselves a decent anthem:
Btw: They lifted this from some random movie in the 30s.
Anyway. Trees. North. Moving on.
3. The motto.
Well, in a world of dead cell phone batteries everybody will still be able to find you people, what with the abundant hints...
4. The poppy business.
Ok, i tried my best to bite my tongue last november. But you can see that this is somewhat off.
Somewhat off for a super-enlightened latte-liberal people, which you frequently claim to be, anyway.
Like, never mind that the anthem you heard above uses the word "millions" - and with cause.
Just, you know, imagine i was a freshly landed alien and you had to explain the whole thing to me.
Here's what my part of the dialogue would be:
"Ah, so these people attacked you?"
"Ah, so they attacked your friends/overlords?"
"Wait, what? I have to write this down. This sounds complicated."
"What is a Belgium?"
"Ok, got it. So this happened..."
"Other side of the planet. Got it."
"And you showed them?"
"Oh, so it was a minor part of a battle fought largely by your allies/overlords? And your enemies barely remember the whole thing because even the larger battle was 'kinda meh' and your enemies had plenty other things to care about?"
"But you won at least?"
"Ok, but you won the war then?"
"Oh, so neither you nor your friends/overlords really did. Mostly the people whom you mocked for a century as cowards and weaklings won the war with the help of your neighbors on the far-down end of your nose?"
"And you're a pacifist country where people pride themselves on being very polite?"
"But hey, everybody got loads more solidarity and socialism out of this never mind the franchise, so that's something?"
"Oh, you mean that was actually caused by a bunch of racist ladies with a time machine?"
"..."
"Excuse me, i have to read through my notes. This is all very confusing."
Some maps to illustrate the tie to the earlier point.
Disclaimer: Canada not shown.
Disclaimer: Canada also not shown.
Moderator Action: Warned for trolling --LM
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889
Well.
Canada's national symbolism looks...
Weak? Uninformative?
Well, it's... something.
You'll see what i mean:
1. The flag.
First of all, the flag violates a rather simple rule for flags: A child should be able to draw it from memory.
Of course you can compromise on the quality of the leaf/camel/helicopter/whatever a given child may happen to draw.
But yeah...this is a common illness in the anglosphere. You people apparently can't keep your flags simple.
The bigger problem though is that, apparently - feel free to correct me, none of this means anything. The bars don't mean anything. The white doesn't mean anything. The red barely if at all means anything. Not officially anyway.
The leaf is from a song nobody cares about, which is mostly about England and the Queen (Victoria).
It's basically there to inform the casual beholder that - wait for it - there are trees in Canada.
Pretty Trees. Just the right height!
Let me give you an example for contrast:
This is a six color flag (!) that is still heradically correct (!) that a child can draw (!) and that has obvious (!) and powerful (!) symbolism:
2. The anthem.
You recently had a thread about this: Yes, "sons", very problematic.
I find the use of the term "native" odd but that's neither here or there.
The bigger problem is that the anthem doesn't mean much of anything either.
It informs us that... Canada is in the north. And not just any north, no. The true north.
This isn't normal either. Usually anthems have a bit more to tell.
In my view, if one has started an anthem with "oh" one is allready on the wrong track.
Plenty of anthems start with "arise" or some such as the first word (e.g. France).
Some start with some noun to be aspired to (like them people with their "unity").
Just for the record, let's have ourselves a decent anthem:
Spoiler :
Anyway. Trees. North. Moving on.
3. The motto.
"A mari usque ad mare"
You have to be kidding me! Trees. North. And now this!
Well, in a world of dead cell phone batteries everybody will still be able to find you people, what with the abundant hints...
4. The poppy business.
Ok, i tried my best to bite my tongue last november. But you can see that this is somewhat off.
Somewhat off for a super-enlightened latte-liberal people, which you frequently claim to be, anyway.
Like, never mind that the anthem you heard above uses the word "millions" - and with cause.
Just, you know, imagine i was a freshly landed alien and you had to explain the whole thing to me.
Here's what my part of the dialogue would be:
"Ah, so these people attacked you?"
"Ah, so they attacked your friends/overlords?"
"Wait, what? I have to write this down. This sounds complicated."
"What is a Belgium?"
"Ok, got it. So this happened..."
"Other side of the planet. Got it."
"And you showed them?"
"Oh, so it was a minor part of a battle fought largely by your allies/overlords? And your enemies barely remember the whole thing because even the larger battle was 'kinda meh' and your enemies had plenty other things to care about?"
"But you won at least?"
"Ok, but you won the war then?"
"Oh, so neither you nor your friends/overlords really did. Mostly the people whom you mocked for a century as cowards and weaklings won the war with the help of your neighbors on the far-down end of your nose?"
"And you're a pacifist country where people pride themselves on being very polite?"
"But hey, everybody got loads more solidarity and socialism out of this never mind the franchise, so that's something?"
"Oh, you mean that was actually caused by a bunch of racist ladies with a time machine?"
"..."
"Excuse me, i have to read through my notes. This is all very confusing."
Some maps to illustrate the tie to the earlier point.
Disclaimer: Canada not shown.
Spoiler :
Disclaimer: Canada also not shown.
Spoiler :
Moderator Action: Warned for trolling --LM
Please read the forum rules: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=422889
Last edited by a moderator:
