Comments on: New Best Friends

By: Dan

Dan — Sat, 20 Mar 2004 18:23:27 +0000

I’m definitely glad to have a friend in you, Bene Diction! You definitely are the Official Canuck of my blog.

Love in Christ,
Dan

By: The Dane

The Dane — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 08:56:54 +0000

Well, it’s like the Congolese tribesman. Let’s say he runs a business in which he ferries people, livestock, groundborn transportation, and other sundry items, devices, and purposes from one bank of the local river to another. It is highly unlikely that his style of living requires him to know anything about who the prime minister of Japan is, what role American involvement in WWI had in causing WWII and half the current problems in the Middle East, or what mad cow disease is. Knowing about the Palestinian plight or the recent atrocities of the Bosnian Serbs or that there was a Hitler or that the Spanish Inquisition was not just a Monty Python skit will add nothing pragmatic to his life.

In reality, he can live a 100% fulfilled life without every knowing anything beyond the boundaries of his own immediate region. I also think this can be applied to most civilians as well.

So I think to describe interest in international things as a need is to demote need from necessity to the same kind of need when we say, “Man, I sure need a pizza tonight - I gots me some cheese cravin’!”

Not that such interests don’t have value. But I think their value is not of the kind that most would describe as necessary, but simply as neat to know if I gots the time.

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 06:11:12 +0000

Hi the Dane:

Good question.
If anyone outside our borders is considered a ‘market’ then it is the best interests of the business person to know. Self-satisfation is also a good reason to keep learning. I’ve no doubt you could come up with a lot more reasons.
Needing to know and wanting to know aren’t mutually exclusive.:^)

By: The Dane

The Dane — Wed, 17 Mar 2004 04:24:34 +0000

Wait!? US America is to the south of Canada?! Man, I’m gonna fire my geography coach.

Really though, I think a serious question that I don’t often see being addressed is this: how important is it that the average US citizen actually be aware of current political and cultural events in the international market? Although I personally take an interest in global items, histories, cultures, and politics, that interest is born more of a simple preference for knowledge than any perceived need to be internationally aware. In fact, I’m not even certain it is of any great importance for a restauranteur in Ventura County, California, to keep abreast of current events in Florida, Chicago, Texas, Nevada, or even in San Diego County (a mere four hours to the south). Perhaps it matters if you’re involved in journalism, international polity, or have a business directly affected by international markets, but I think the reason most Americans don’t know about Canada is because they realize that such knowledge will gain them nothing beyond self-satisfaction. For the same reason, most Americans feel no pressing need to understand how cable tv really works - because that knowledge won’t affect their business on Monday or the way their family argues next Tuesday. Y’know?

By: Bene Diction

Bene Diction — Tue, 16 Mar 2004 01:06:15 +0000

It is isn’t it?
Canadian-US relations have been up and down since before we became a country.
And as we watch things globally it makes history more interesting as we understand we are also living it. Blog on.

By: Char

Char — Mon, 15 Mar 2004 17:52:29 +0000

It’s interesting to watch the change in political dynamics on a global level isn’t it?