I have never been particularly worried about cultural dominance by American media. Canadians share so much with our Southern neighbours, it’s never felt like a big deal to me that the majority of the television I heartily enjoy comes from the States. In fact, I’ve generally been grateful that we have such easy access to so many wonderful series that have come out of the entertainment capital of the world.
It recently occurred to me, however, that what enters Canada (and the rest of the world that enjoys American cultural products) is more than the entertainment content that we consume. Embedded within the programs that I seem to constantly be watching and enjoying are fundamental assumptions about life and society.
For instance, how many times have teen dramas depicted the nail-biting experience of waiting to hear from college financial aid offices, reminding teens that (in the U.S.) college is extremely expensive, and not considered worth the hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt that student loans would create? How often are we reminded by teen dramas that SATs are the only way to cement one’s future? How often do we witness fundamentalist Christians dominating public opinion, or teen sexuality marginalized and discriminated against by public policy?
The fact is, that’s not the reality that teens face in Canada. Sure, student loans are a burden, but the cost of a university education has not crippled me, financially. Sure we also face standardized tests, and conservative politicians, but they do not determine our futures. We do.
More importantly, in general, the expectations about life to come, the ways in which we prepare for the future, the systems (education, health, government) we participate in and which shape our lives and futures are distinct. We must remember to look up from our TV sets long enough to take stock of the country we live in, and participate in shaping its future.
As young people, it is often hard to recognize these subtle differences between our lived experiences and those of characters on (American) television. This is where the danger lies. In forgetting that we are different. In assuming our parents will react as theirs do. In thinking that our futures will be shaped by the same pressures faced by youth on television, not the very real politically charged realities of our own nation.
