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fresh-fruit-ninja · 6 years

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CANADIAN-ISM

I would say there could be two sides to a feeling of Canadian-ness in my experience as a consumer of products and media by our favourite, well actually, probably the only big book store in Canada, Indigo-Chapters, or as I nostalgically like to call it, Chapters. The first side, in which relates to my notions of traditional Canadian identity or values and traits I feel I am a part of, and second, that uninhibited, emotional side I have to my identity as a Canadian. The thing with big cities in my experience is that relaxed feeling is harder to come buy and even in the busiest of cities I find the environment, or the vibes at chapters more relaxing, like in Toronto, which I have been to on some occasions. But more so in my smaller city of London. Since I was young, I get a warm feeling from going to Chapters. Originally with my mother, as a youth we would spend time there. Back then there were couches, bean bag chairs and chairs, as they promoted and wanted people to spend a lot of time sitting and reading and of course, purchasing. Then, with the Starbucks that are inside it became busier and more of a hangout. As I got older and the city grew, with the rampage of students, popularity of Starbucks and purchase by Indigo, I noticed the private spaces, couchies and beanies had mostly disappeared. Now, there is a large shared table with plugs and a few chairs scattered throughout the store. The Starbucks everyday is full and mostly with students, so is the table in the store. But there are still people who relax with a book and a coffee or tea, reading groups and so on. As mentioned above, part of the Canadian-ness I guess I feel is do to the community and people friendly experience that is very much a representation of Canada, who in my view are a friendly people. In my experience, in other countries like USA and Europe people keep more to themselves and are less excited about a random chat with someone.

I love reading and am a writer and Chapters is a place for me to go when I am feeling “artsy” I will wear my big heavy wool cardigan (hand made in Ireland) 😊and my wool flat cap (from the UK,) have a decaf or tea and read or write. I guess the sense of being a cultural hub for my city is how I feel about Chapters. With the hand-picked books, book clubs and so on, it’s kind of like a library to me, except its more up to date. But as I got older and peered deeper into Chapters, and in this current social climate, I feel more comfortable with it. Now back to the two sides. The Canadian identity part, from my own cultural standpoint, Chapters and Indigo are Canadian made. You knew I was going to say that… The Canadian CEO hand picks many books and showcases us things from a more Canadian spotlight or outlook if you should say. Indigo has stood up for the values of democracy and peace by taking stances on some political issues like women’s rights, public safety and so on. The music they play, as I now know, (because I asked,) is from a purely Canadian company and plays international and Canadian music, which I will discuss later.

A point made from a Canadian communications research approach takes the position that; “The central unit of knowledge is society rather than the individual.” Now, if I could push for this point with Chapters and how its programs and media outreach indicate a Chapters communications system which is being representative, or trying to be representative of its key asset, the Canadian consumer, or the collective of Canadian society. Of course, not all Canadians think the same, but culturally there is a suggestion of core Canadian values along within some of its programs; although public libraries are larger, more dispersed…. but they are government entities and… well there is a sense of community…lots of social activities… but in my experience the library doesn’t have the most recent books. 😊 I also like the idea of meeting authors at book signings, and events reading clubs, like the upcoming Canada Day event. Some other events are “Open Panels” with authors in many fields and, yes!! Literary agents!! Others are labeled “In Conversation” where you can chat with a ride range of authors from a world of topics, from fiction to political or social causes. Libraries don’t usually take on socially responsible causes, which is a point I am trying to make here. There is an Ontario and possibly Canadian problem with under funding of social institutions like libraries and as we see on the indigo website with public schools and is another cause Chapters has taken up. (The love of Reading Foundation and Adopt a School) https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/lorfaq/ Some other causes which are important to me as a Canadian, which allow me to support Chapters are; Chapters not selling books by that evil German leader, also the CEO has represented Canadian values in her stance of oppression of women in the middle east, and gun safety among others things.

Which brings me to the second part, my favourite part, my passion! Its fun and easy (dumb) just to be proud of anything that says “Canada.” Canadian nationalism has become a tool as well for big interests like commercial and institutional. But a big part of being Canadian is that we are not just a line up of things that say Canada, we are a crochet of values that come together in our acceptance of growth and new experience, and not just a closed ancient tradition which the government is spending millions on to preserve because they fear the new world. Canadian identity, (as much as people try for it to be,) is not a nationalistic propaganda tool, it’s a feature and pinnacle of ours and of world civilization. The commies used to say nationalism is the enemy of the nation, as they propagated nationalism.

Canadianness is also about one world love and multiculturalism, embracing the experiences and the wealth of knowledge, culture and traditions that we have around the world, which are represented by millions of Canadians. The Chapters’ customer experience and curated Stingray music does well to my Canadian-ness by not* nationalizing my identity or conforming me to a portrayal of who I am, but rather lets me express myself in all ways human… That being music and arts and media from around the world, and from our diverse Canadian social landscape. That’s why I love Canada! Because being yourself is not being a codified Canadian, or person with only a specific set of so called cultural traits, but rather being a person whose cultural persona is always growing and developing and taking in life and turning it into something that is very much ideally, exemplary and proudly Canadian. For example, a person who likes hockey and hockey only maybe the stereotypical Canadian, but a person who enjoys competitive sports, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, and shares his Canadian-ness and cultural identity to other smaller parts of Canadian sport, like soccer or basketball, (in the bigger picture, smaller parts of our national identity) that is what being Canadian is about, bringing the love of the world!!

I really love the Stingray app because its Canadian like Indigo is Canadian, and our values are represented in the media and books to a certain extent, but more subtly, or not over done; but also, we are not closed like other cultures who are so fixated on their ways, whether in defense of any sort of change, or sticking to their so called tried and true traditions. World cultures took centuries to develop, and are closely related to many other cultures, why should they stop growing now? Because of a few stubborn ideals? I think not! Canadians are growing, (maybe because we are a young country) and making a culture which is like no other. People adapt to take on Canadian traits and as Canadians, we can collect and grow our flowers of youthful bountifulness of positivity and optimism, becoming a nation of healthy and happy people who want to flourish as a growing world culture and role-model.

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