Obama, and all that
So yes, here I am again, cluttering up your flist, with a few little musings... Ah well. ^.^
I thought about posting yesterday, with it being inaugeration day and all that, but I got a little busy so it didn't happen. But what a day! Because of the one hour time difference, the swearing-in ceremony took place right around the change of classes at the end of lunch - but a lot of people skipped class anyway to go watch it, in the cafeteria!! I didn't - although I did watch the earlier bits - but a friend of mine skipped his Global Economics class, and he said that about half of his class did. Which is highly entertaining.
Not that I blame anyone. Its a wonderful thing - the end of the Bush administration, and so much hope, as cliched as it might have become of late. Obama really seems like he'll do the US - and the world - some good. Because as much as people may not like to admit it, the US is the really the only superpower in the modern world. And up here in Canada, what happens in the US can often concern us a lot. (Although, interesting fact: We're not quite as Americanized as some might think. The Great Northern Shift, in the way vowels are being pronounced, that is/was sweeping the northern cities/states has not crossed over the border, anywhere. That's your random fact for the day. Pity the people who must suffer conversation with me...)
Since we are so connected, inevitably, connections betweens what is happening in the USA and what has happened here, in Canada, are drawn. The term Obamamania? There's an older one, Trudeaumania, from the 60s/70s, referring to prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Apparently he was considered quite something, especially by the young Canadians of the time, and his is the only instances of Canada ever having the huge political rallies that the States has. He wasn't the first French prime minister ever, wasn't anything terribly great, as far as I can see (I'm afraid modern 20th century history is my weak point...). Certainly he did great things while he was in power - the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, for one, and making bilingualism official - but I, as a child of the "Millenial" generation (or whatever they call us - early 90s/very late 80s anyway), don't get the big deal that is/was made over him.
Now, in my mind, Obama is a bigger deal than Trudeau ever could have been. After all, no matter what he does, he has still made history as the first black president in American history. But it does make me wonder - will further generations, younger generations, look back and agree with us, understand easily, our 'mania' for him? Or will they be puzzled by us, wondering what we could have seen in him, beyond the First Black President bit? So much of this is so in the moment. People keep saying that this is history in the making, and truly, parts of it are for certain. But that fact alone makes it hard for us to tell what future generations will think. Will they see the greatness in him that we do, (without deep anthoropological study or deep, focused culture-of-the-time empathy) or will they think us silly, foolish?
Its an odd question to ponder. I, personally, think that Obama has huge potential, that future (one, or two, for certain) generations will be able to see, but perhaps that is just me living in the moment...
As it is, all the best to the US for the next four years. ^^ Canada will be watching - if only because you're politics can be so much more interesting than ours! (Although Jan 26 could be interesting indeed...)
I thought about posting yesterday, with it being inaugeration day and all that, but I got a little busy so it didn't happen. But what a day! Because of the one hour time difference, the swearing-in ceremony took place right around the change of classes at the end of lunch - but a lot of people skipped class anyway to go watch it, in the cafeteria!! I didn't - although I did watch the earlier bits - but a friend of mine skipped his Global Economics class, and he said that about half of his class did. Which is highly entertaining.
Not that I blame anyone. Its a wonderful thing - the end of the Bush administration, and so much hope, as cliched as it might have become of late. Obama really seems like he'll do the US - and the world - some good. Because as much as people may not like to admit it, the US is the really the only superpower in the modern world. And up here in Canada, what happens in the US can often concern us a lot. (Although, interesting fact: We're not quite as Americanized as some might think. The Great Northern Shift, in the way vowels are being pronounced, that is/was sweeping the northern cities/states has not crossed over the border, anywhere. That's your random fact for the day. Pity the people who must suffer conversation with me...)
Since we are so connected, inevitably, connections betweens what is happening in the USA and what has happened here, in Canada, are drawn. The term Obamamania? There's an older one, Trudeaumania, from the 60s/70s, referring to prime minister Pierre Trudeau. Apparently he was considered quite something, especially by the young Canadians of the time, and his is the only instances of Canada ever having the huge political rallies that the States has. He wasn't the first French prime minister ever, wasn't anything terribly great, as far as I can see (I'm afraid modern 20th century history is my weak point...). Certainly he did great things while he was in power - the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, for one, and making bilingualism official - but I, as a child of the "Millenial" generation (or whatever they call us - early 90s/very late 80s anyway), don't get the big deal that is/was made over him.
Now, in my mind, Obama is a bigger deal than Trudeau ever could have been. After all, no matter what he does, he has still made history as the first black president in American history. But it does make me wonder - will further generations, younger generations, look back and agree with us, understand easily, our 'mania' for him? Or will they be puzzled by us, wondering what we could have seen in him, beyond the First Black President bit? So much of this is so in the moment. People keep saying that this is history in the making, and truly, parts of it are for certain. But that fact alone makes it hard for us to tell what future generations will think. Will they see the greatness in him that we do, (without deep anthoropological study or deep, focused culture-of-the-time empathy) or will they think us silly, foolish?
Its an odd question to ponder. I, personally, think that Obama has huge potential, that future (one, or two, for certain) generations will be able to see, but perhaps that is just me living in the moment...
As it is, all the best to the US for the next four years. ^^ Canada will be watching - if only because you're politics can be so much more interesting than ours! (Although Jan 26 could be interesting indeed...)