Canada Quote by Sarah Vowell
““He spent part of last year working in Canada, and I think it rubbed off on him, diminishing his innate American ability to celebrate the civic virtue of idiocy.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The New Yorker, 2015
The speaker suggests that living in Canada softened the subject’s typical American enthusiasm for celebrating foolishness as a civic virtue.
In simple terms: Canada may have tempered his American love of idiocy.
Recognize how environment shapes attitudes.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- political commentary
- media analysis
- cross‑cultural observation
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does environment influence what we consider admirable?
- Can civic virtues be culturally specific?
Different cultures may value other traits, so the change isn’t purely negative.