"Trait" is indeed being used in a cultural sense. There be dragons down the nature versus nurture trial!
I'm not sure of your use of "dominant American culture" since from my viewpoint that would the common elements of US American culture across the American people as a whole.
The ineffectiveness of the educational and health system has to do with those systems doing nothing / saying nothing about higher student mortality and Sunnydale citizen mortality. Of course, they function in terms of teaching and healing, but ignore dramatic local trends for which they should be aware. And the less said about the Sunnydale police the better.
"We" refers to the people of Ottawa as a whole who claim to value public education and multiculturalism - at least according to opinion polls, elected representatives and the media. Another example of people saying one thing - and maybe even believing it - while doing something else.
The Ottawa education system example is meant to show how Whedon's view of institutions can sometimes be right. If the demons are metaphorically physical manifestations of issues with which they are not dealing, then a society unwilling to recognise the hidden dangers is a metaphor for issues society is unwilling to face or admit publically. There are numerous real life examples. If that is what Joss is saying about the potential for blindness within society and its institutions...that's a reasonable point.
no subject
I'm not sure of your use of "dominant American culture" since from my viewpoint that would the common elements of US American culture across the American people as a whole.
The ineffectiveness of the educational and health system has to do with those systems doing nothing / saying nothing about higher student mortality and Sunnydale citizen mortality. Of course, they function in terms of teaching and healing, but ignore dramatic local trends for which they should be aware. And the less said about the Sunnydale police the better.
"We" refers to the people of Ottawa as a whole who claim to value public education and multiculturalism - at least according to opinion polls, elected representatives and the media. Another example of people saying one thing - and maybe even believing it - while doing something else.
The Ottawa education system example is meant to show how Whedon's view of institutions can sometimes be right. If the demons are metaphorically physical manifestations of issues with which they are not dealing, then a society unwilling to recognise the hidden dangers is a metaphor for issues society is unwilling to face or admit publically. There are numerous real life examples. If that is what Joss is saying about the potential for blindness within society and its institutions...that's a reasonable point.