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But the gradual disappearance of family ties has arguably been replaced with a different type of proximity. My parents who are in their 70s had cousins who were Americans due to the easy work-related migration you are referring to. When border controls and paperwork tightened up in the 1960s many in the subsequent generations including mine grew up without Americans cousins, or at least American family members they were close to. But even so, due to TV, movies, magazines and books, I had the U.S. all figured out (or at least I thought I did) before I ever set foot there and spoke to a live American. In some ways I probably knew more about the U.S. than I knew about Canada - and I was far from the only one. In spite of the relative lack of close American family members, I was significantly more Americanized than my parents were - especially for one of my parents who grew up in a 100% francophone Acadian town in New Brunswick. Today's generations are probably quite similar. They're paradoxically closer than ever to Americans in many ways in spite of the growing disconnect you're referring to. |
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In a restaurant setting for example it's not always clear that a ceramic plate is going to be more cost effective or better for the environment than a paper plate. The ceramic plates can be used many times but they cost a lot more and are regularly broken or lost. Somebody was telling me a while ago that for fountain pop served in a glass, the biggest expense is the glass. It worked out to something like 12 cents per use for them. I really doubt that the typical Ashley furniture item is a family heirloom. I've got some IKEA things that are about 12 years old at this point and cost probably 1/4 or less what they would have somewhere else. It didn't make any sense at all for me to buy the more expensive version 12 years ago, and I am not sure it does now. I have some nicer furniture too but I'm pretty selective about where and when I buy that stuff; I don't consider mid-range big box stores to be worth it most of the time. Usually they use similar construction methods to IKEA, like screws instead of joinery. |
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To carry it forward to today and for the immediate future, this familiarity can also have the effect of breeding contempt (Trumpism seems to be a good example that I keep coming back to) that helps to drive us away from 'becoming American' and drives us towards embracing our perceived Canadian values (or at least what we want them to be) even further. Great topic, by the way. It has been the most interesting read on this forum in a long time. :tup: |
The American ethos is to live large and boldly. I don’t think IKEA’s Calvinist minimalism and frugality fit with that very well. The US market is also highly competitive, as evidenced by the Canadian category-killer retailers that have flopped down there ... Canadian Tire, Future Shop, even Tim Hortons to an extent.
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Meanwhile in Seattle most people I know live in tract housing and own way more stuff, multiple giant vehicles, etc. I don't think I would want the tract housing even if it were affordable here. I suspect a lot of younger Canadians are used to apartment living and don't consider ownership of a large house to be a major aspiration. |
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What percent of Ikea Canada’s $2.4 billion in sales do you think come from pseudo-Scandinavian poseurs? |
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If you're a student and you need a coffee table but you're not sure where you're going to live next year, the $50 option is great and not offered anywhere else. For everybody else the $150 option is pretty attractive; you are very likely to get $150 of utility out of it whereas the $500 or $900 options are unclear. The $900 one has to last 6x as long and/or be more functional or better looking to be worth it. |
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My impression of IKEA stuff is that the money saving is mostly due to their business model of the customer taking it home and assembling it themselves. No flash, pomp or circumstance, just the basics. I haven't bought a huge number of things from IKEA but I can say that the chair I bought to use at the computer desk is very good quality. Sturdily designed, made of solid hardwood (no particleboard, etc.), no creaks or flexing/movement, and attractive in appearance. It should prove to be quite durable over the years, I think. I haven't examined their other furniture pieces closely, so my experience is limited. And, FWIW, most of the furniture I've seen at places like Ashley tend to be largely constructed of particle board, with some sort of veneer to make it look like 'real wood'. I can't say that I've seen the highest quality at the mainstream furniture stores - in fact this would more fit my definition of throw away furniture, since once it breaks or degrades, it's difficult to repair, and almost not worth the effort. |
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I own a condo and it's hard to imagine a scenario where it would make sense to upgrade my housing just for the sake of it. Even a modest upgrade from a 2 BR condo is very expensive in metro Vancouver. The apartment thing doesn't bother me so much and I don't think we can have high immigration, the ALR, and detached houses for everyone. But we should be able to have 1,500 square foot 3 BR condos in a good area that don't cost $1M+. Unfortunately, Vancouver has affirmed over and over that artificially maintaining stable detached housing neighbourhoods for Baby Boomers is much more important than letting the market provide more than 400 square foot per person for middle class younger people. |
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As I mentioned in another post I'd had many years of exposure to U.S. culture at that point so arriving in the U.S. was kind of like stepping into the TV set. My kids have had the experience of foreign travel for as long as they can remember so the U.S. and other foreign countries have just been "as they are" for them and there weren't really any epiphany or eureka moments for them when they visited. Given their age back then and the absence of preconceived notions and expectations. |
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Socio-culturally even though they are present I'd agree, there is no way Scottish, Irish or US influences outstrip French-derived ones. |
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