Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values [Paperback]

This is not a ponderous volume of statistics, but a quirky, quick read, that leaves one with a lot to think about.

This book was obviously aimed at the Canadian reader, and I hope he releases a updated version for the American audience when the 2004 figures have been compiled. But you can just skip over some of the Canada-specific references, and the long suffering pose of submission but inherent superiority to the U.S.. It IS enlightening to see the U.S. through Canadian eyes.

There are some interesting insights to George W's presidency, the debate over same sex marriages, and a discussion of the regional differences in the U.S., and implications for the future.

I was surprised to learn that Canada has more in common with New England than New England has in common with the Deep South. And that the cultural trends among young people are very divergent from the 60+ crowd, and not always in the direction I expected.

Not a perfect book. But worth reading.

Fire and Ice came from years of research into the ideals and values held by Canadians from 1983 to 2000, Adam states that he was 'impressed with just how much Canadians' social values seemed to be diverging from those of Americans. (After all, we are frequently made to feel we have become nothing more than unarmed Americans with health insurance.)' (pg xii) - and this is even before September 11th.

He notes being particularly interested in finding out 'why an initially "conservative" society like Canada has ended up producing an autonomous, inner-directed, flexible, tolerant, socially liberal, and spiritually eclectic people while an intentionally "liberal" society like the United States has ended up producing a people who are, relatively speaking, materialistic, outer-directed, intolerant, socially conservative, and deferential to traditional institutional authority. Why do these two societies seem to prove the law of unintended consequences?' (pg 10).

Despite relying heavily on the statistics produced by Environics, the company he co-founded, Adams is able interpret the findings so they're more or less understandable to the layperson. He brings up current events, and there are numerous references to pop culture, everything from Rockstar Games' Vice City, Eminem's 8-Mile, to Blade Runner - however with a decidedly American flavour.

In writing this book Adams offers Canadians a more detailed description of our national identity than the traditional 'not American' retort. In particular, his 'reading of Canadian values tells me that none has become more important in this country than autonomy - and that autonomy, in the context of interdependence, is valued at every level from the individual right up to the nation' (pg 144).

Fire and Ice makes for an entertaining and insightful read into the Canadian and American psyches. However far as his aim to remain impartial goes, he falls somewhat short of the mark. Without slandering America, there is a discernable favouring of Canadian ideals and values - completely understandable as Adams himself is Canadian. Highly recommended reading to sceptical Canadians, Americans interested in viewing themselves through a maple-leaf shaped lens, and, heck, everyone else.

One reviewer criticised Adams methodology, but if it is so bad, then why is Environics still in business? The reviewer pointed us to David Frum for a detailed critique, but Frum is the former Bush speech writer who gave us the phrase "axis of evil." Adams may have sometimes asked different questions, but this is less comparing apples and oranges than comparing mackintoshs and spartans; the questions are dealing with the same underlying values. This is hot stuff, so don't be surprised if those who have a stake in the myth of converging values will try to attack and spin it as much as possible. And, in any case, have those arguing for the convergence offered anything near as detailed an argument as what Adams has presented?

Anyone who spends any time bouncing back and forth across the border will find their intuitions confirmed by Adams' book. More importantly, it will tell them why, and it will show them some things they missed, but which, after being pointed out, seem obvious. Americans may speak the same language as Canadians, and we may watch much the same TV, the same movies, and read many of the same books -- we may even have Canadians appearing in those TV programs and in those movies, and even ghost-writing for the President -- but make no mistake, Americans are not the same as Canadians, and Canada is much more than the States with universal healthcare. If you don't believe me, go and live there for a bit, and then come back!