Ben, it's some kind of a cultural ethos thing I'm sure.
A recent thread here was from one of our American Autopians lamenting the lack of manners by some people in markets, parking areas and malls. Eating food before it's paid for, kids in diapers while shopping, carts not returned to the proper spot, door dings, using your roof as a shelf area to hunt for their keys, etc. General rudeness and lack of consideration.
At the other end of the spectrum, here are two Canadians, chatting pleasantly to a spam bot. We're total idiots!
Our American friends are probably looking at us thinking if we are representative of all of Canada, the country must have weapons of mass stupidity and should be invaded.
But what a country it is. Can you think of any other country in the whole world that holds the beaver in such high esteem and has the hunting of beaver as it's unofficial national sport? Oh, come to think of it, most American males do the same thing so maybe we're not so different after all. I'll stop now.
-John C.