Thursday, December 8, 2011

Cultural clash : English vs French in Quebec


I live in a province of Canada ( Quebec ) that has his own ( and specific ) cultural context. Starting with the obvious : language, we're a majority of french speaking Canadians, continuing to its European heritage and adding, important to mention, descendants of the loosing side of the colonial wars. These factors forged a part of our personalities. It's a big chain of events that had influence over the generations; always making the next one different and unique. It's an evolution. 

Many people want to protect our culture from other's. Like it's a second invasion of the long gone New France. I'm not taking any position about whatever mean we should take to ensure our cultural uniqueness. I think very few people will agree with me on this one, but I don't even care that we should. In our province, there's not many voices that go against protecting our culture and to some extent, I understand. But I asked myself why is it so important to protect it and came up with this explanation. 

I asked myself. When has it become an issue to protect our culture? Was it Montcalm first preoccupation when he was fighting the redcoats? I don't know for sure but I don't think it was. It was a question of conquest for land and resources. It became an issue because we lost. It was the only thing left to fight for; our origin, our language, our culture. We lived amongst a different culture since then. But that British culture influenced us and even if it's still two separate cultures today, the New France culture's evolution is inseparable to the lost of Montcalm during the battle of the Plains of Abraham and ultimately to the English culture. 

Yet, these days, there's a hunt in my province for people who choose to not embrace the french culture by learning its language and/or making it flourish on different layers. Quebec is Canada and Canada is Quebec. We live in a bilingual country. I agree and understand that people have the right to work in their language. But explain to me when has it been made mandatory to learn both languages? I mean, its a question of choice. Each individual have a choice. Whatever is to learn a second language or not. If they don't feel the need to it, then why would it be wrong? 

Culture influence individuals and individuals makes culture. Am I an "enemy" only because I chose to write a blog in "anglais"? I chose it to help me improve my English skills and it still needs to get better for my liking. What is wrong with that? We consume culture from different sources. Many comes from foreign countries. Are we wrong to open ourselves to other cultures? 

I have no problem with financing french culture in our province, but it is still my choice, as an individual to speak, write, read in the language I want. If someone can live in our province without feeling or having the need to speak french that's his own business. I'm born french Canadian but that doesn't automatically make me a knight defender of our culture. Somehow, people, by questioning, criticizing my choices and making it a moral issue, are walking on turf they don't own. This turf is call free choice. You can put any measures to encourage individuals to choose french. I have no problem at all with this. But once you're starting to point persons and to criticize their choices, you've taken the wrong path if your quest is the perenniality of french in America. 

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Fiction on Nowhere Near Normality



I started writing fiction during last summer. My reading habits had increased and it gave me the will to give it a shot. I've read a few blog with many advices about writing and without much of a technique I started with short stories. 

I didn't have problems finding ideas or anything. Actually it was the other way around. Once I started a story, a better idea came to replace the one I was writing about. I ended up having many unfinished stories that I told myself I'd finish another time but now I know I probably never will or if I do it'll be because the idea was really good. I may still be bad at it (I might never be any good who knows) but I've improved and I know now that I can do better with those unfinished stories. 

I finished the first draft of a story this week-end and even though it's probably also very bad, it's the best one so far. That's probably why was able to write it to the end. I'll post it here when I'll be done rewriting/correcting it. I do not plan to make a career as a writer anyway and I don't pursue the dream of being published. I began to write only for the fun of it and to find out if I can make it. Until I change my mind I'll post my stories on this blog. 

I want to get better, so feel free to give advice and to tell me what doesn't work. You won't hurt my ego at all. The harder you are with my writings the happier I'll be. I'm an amateur and even if, like I said, I don't plan to be a published writer, my stories are meant to be read. I thank you in advance if you read me and more particularly if you participate with advices and critics.

Our evil ways


Sometimes, I'm having a hard time dealing with people who claim to be good, moral persons. Let me explain. I'm 31 years old now and for what I know I, too, claimed myself to be a good person for maybe the first 28-29 years. Looking back at what I did, it was a false statement. My intentions were good though. No, not really. The right way to put it is to say that I thought I had good intentions so I thought I was good. 

Please don't get me wrong, I didn't do anything awful or really out of the ordinary. What I mean is that until I realized all the evil behind my actions, I was pretty normal. My understanding of life changed and the more I come to know someone now, the more I see all the excuses, all the reasons they tell themselves to justify their actions. That way they keep a good opinion of themselves. They always see their actions from the inside. 

Let me use an image. Your driving your car and someone honks his horn at you. You don't know what you did to offense or endanger the other driver. You curse him and you go on. To him, your a bad driver, but you don't think you're a bad driver. In fact, you think you're a good driver and that guy lacks judgement. The truth is, You will never drive accordingly to all others. You will drive your way and others will drive their ways and because there can't be total harmony. As a result, you're going to be honked at once in a while. 

That's what it is all about. You may think you're doing good, but in fact someone thinks you're doing bad because your actions may have negatives effects on him. That's why nobody's really good. Why does it bug me? Because the way people justify themselves often end up to worst behaviors than the initial offense, in my example, it was the cursing. It's especially during a conflict because of the tension escalation. 

Are we good persons ? No I don't think we are. So we're evil then? No we're not. What are we then? Persistant to stay unaware of the fact that it's impossible to be good even if you feel you're most of the time good. It prevents you to be less stubborn, more compassionate of those you may have offended, less selfish and ultimately and ironically a better person.