Australian Politics Forum - What is Australian culture?

MeisterEckhart

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #90 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:22pm

Gnads wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:18pm:

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:05pm:

The reasons Barry Hu8mphries created the characters Sir Les Patterson and Barry McKenzie were (1) an attempt to embarrass and shock Australians into seeing what many foreigners perceived Australians to be and (2) to entertain the British who enjoyed the stereotype of Australians as drunk fools - South Seas Irish.

Unfortunately for Humphries, Australians of the time, far from being shocked or embarrassed, embraced McKenzie and Patterson as Australian icons.

There was nothing unfortunate about it ... like many of his other characters it paid his bills & was popular.

That it was OTT satire is irrelevant .... it was all accepted as a part of the Australian larrikin culture and Aussie humour & self deprecation.

The ability to take the piss out of oneself & others.

Far too many narcissistic self inflated egos around these days.

Yep... but Humphries was trying to school Australians and it backfired - the money he made came from the British who enjoyed the Australian drunk idiot stereotype.

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #91 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:48pm

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:05pm:

The reasons Barry Hu8mphries created the characters Sir Les Patterson and Barry McKenzie were (1) an attempt to embarrass and shock Australians into seeing what many foreigners perceived Australians to be and (2) to entertain the British who enjoyed the stereotype of Australians as drunk fools - South Seas Irish.

Unfortunately for Humphries, Australians of the time, far from being shocked or embarrassed, embraced McKenzie and Patterson as Australian icons.

Well, there's an Australian characteristic people like you (where ARE you from? You are very coy about it) don't get - self- deprecating humour. Very British.
Peter Cook was Barry's patron saint. Cook was to Britain that Barry was to Australia AND Britain.

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #92 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:50pm

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:22pm:

Gnads wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:18pm:

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:05pm:

The reasons Barry Hu8mphries created the characters Sir Les Patterson and Barry McKenzie were (1) an attempt to embarrass and shock Australians into seeing what many foreigners perceived Australians to be and (2) to entertain the British who enjoyed the stereotype of Australians as drunk fools - South Seas Irish.

Unfortunately for Humphries, Australians of the time, far from being shocked or embarrassed, embraced McKenzie and Patterson as Australian icons.

There was nothing unfortunate about it ... like many of his other characters it paid his bills & was popular.

That it was OTT satire is irrelevant .... it was all accepted as a part of the Australian larrikin culture and Aussie humour & self deprecation.

The ability to take the piss out of oneself & others.

Far too many narcissistic self inflated egos around these days.

Yep... but Humphries was trying to school Australians and it backfired - the money he made came from the British who enjoyed the Australian drunk idiot stereotype.

What is your background? What is the source of your resentment? Do share.

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MeisterEckhart

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #93 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:55pm

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:48pm:

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:05pm:

The reasons Barry Hu8mphries created the characters Sir Les Patterson and Barry McKenzie were (1) an attempt to embarrass and shock Australians into seeing what many foreigners perceived Australians to be and (2) to entertain the British who enjoyed the stereotype of Australians as drunk fools - South Seas Irish.

Unfortunately for Humphries, Australians of the time, far from being shocked or embarrassed, embraced McKenzie and Patterson as Australian icons.

Well, there's an Australian characteristic people like you (where ARE you from? You are very coy about it) don't get - self- deprecating humour. Very British.
Peter Cook was Barry's patron saint. Cook was to Britain that Barry was to Australia AND Britain.

Yes, I do get self-deprecating humour.

My reference to it being unfortunate for Humphries was that he expected Australians to be shocked by his holding up a mirror to Australians of the time - they weren't.

Humphries commented on the Australian contempt for the 'Pom' as an example of Australians projecting their sense of cultural inferiority which he added was understandable because, in his words, "we are".

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #94 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 8:01pm

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:55pm:

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:48pm:

MeisterEckhart wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 7:05pm:

The reasons Barry Hu8mphries created the characters Sir Les Patterson and Barry McKenzie were (1) an attempt to embarrass and shock Australians into seeing what many foreigners perceived Australians to be and (2) to entertain the British who enjoyed the stereotype of Australians as drunk fools - South Seas Irish.

Unfortunately for Humphries, Australians of the time, far from being shocked or embarrassed, embraced McKenzie and Patterson as Australian icons.

Well, there's an Australian characteristic people like you (where ARE you from? You are very coy about it) don't get - self- deprecating humour. Very British.
Peter Cook was Barry's patron saint. Cook was to Britain that Barry was to Australia AND Britain.

Yes, I do get self-deprecating humour.

My reference to it being unfortunate for Humphries was that he expected Australians to be shocked by his holding up a mirror to Australians of the time - they weren't.

Humphries commented on the Australian contempt for the 'Pom' as an example of Australians projecting their sense of cultural inferiority which he added was understandable because, in his words, "we are".

Two way bet, innit. Self-aware and self-deprecating while also inferior.

What is your background? You never remembered to tell us.

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MeisterEckhart

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #95 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 8:02pm

'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie' was released in 1972, a year after 'Wake in Fright' was released - which did shock and disgust Australian audiences.

Wake in Fright's Canadian director, Ted Kotcheff, recognised in remote Australian culture the same themes he experienced in remote Canadian culture - "Canada is Australia on the rocks", he said.

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Frank Gold Member Offline Australian Politics Posts: 44008 Gender:	Re: What is Australian culture? Reply #96 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 8:24pm In 1972 Joan Sutherland made a recording of Turandot with Pavarotti, conducted by Zubin Mehta. Where are you from Meister? Don't be ashamed to say. You are very big on everyone else's background.
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Laugh till you cry Gold Member Offline Posts: 16198 In your happy place Gender:	Re: What is Australian culture? Reply #97 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 8:44pm Rolf Harris was once an Australian cultural leader. He stitched all the jingo icons together and had Australians bursting with pride.
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SadKangaroo

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #98 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:08pm

Gnads wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 6:26pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 11^th, 2024 at 3:04pm:

We don't really have a culture of our own.

Some would say the larrikin, have-a-go mentality and mateship were the exemplars of our culture, but COVID shows that were all utter bullshit.

The moment the going gets tough it's "bugger you, I've got mine" and "Don't tell me what to do" and even mask wearing was treated as the biggest injustice in the history of the world, akin to communism horrors and this simple act of personal responsibility too much to ask for to help your fellow Aussie when it was thought it could help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets and transmission.

No, we don't really have any culture of our own.

We've been heavily influenced by British colonisation. Many of our institutions, legal systems, and cultural practices derive from British traditions.

Our population is highly multicultural, with significant influences from various immigrant communities. This diversity is sometimes seen as overshadowing a distinct, unified Australian culture.

Much of our entertainment and popular culture, including movies, music, and fashion, is heavily influenced by American and British trends.

Some argue that mainstream Australia has not sufficiently integrated or acknowledged Indigenous Australian cultures, which have a rich and ancient heritage. Any attempt to do so with things like welcome to country and other ceremonial duties triggers the usual suspects.

We simply lack a unique cultural identity.

Unless you consider the alcohol-fuelled, gambling-addicted and wife-beating elements our culture, which I hope not.

Always knew you were a self loathing, nation deprecating arsehole.

I'm not against celebrating Australian culture, I'm just saying nobody really agrees on what it is.

If you can't accept that I don't care.

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #99 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:08pm:

Gnads wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 6:26pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 11^th, 2024 at 3:04pm:

We don't really have a culture of our own.

Some would say the larrikin, have-a-go mentality and mateship were the exemplars of our culture, but COVID shows that were all utter bullshit.

The moment the going gets tough it's "bugger you, I've got mine" and "Don't tell me what to do" and even mask wearing was treated as the biggest injustice in the history of the world, akin to communism horrors and this simple act of personal responsibility too much to ask for to help your fellow Aussie when it was thought it could help reduce the spread of respiratory droplets and transmission.

No, we don't really have any culture of our own.

We've been heavily influenced by British colonisation. Many of our institutions, legal systems, and cultural practices derive from British traditions.

Our population is highly multicultural, with significant influences from various immigrant communities. This diversity is sometimes seen as overshadowing a distinct, unified Australian culture.

Much of our entertainment and popular culture, including movies, music, and fashion, is heavily influenced by American and British trends.

Some argue that mainstream Australia has not sufficiently integrated or acknowledged Indigenous Australian cultures, which have a rich and ancient heritage. Any attempt to do so with things like welcome to country and other ceremonial duties triggers the usual suspects.

We simply lack a unique cultural identity.

Unless you consider the alcohol-fuelled, gambling-addicted and wife-beating elements our culture, which I hope not.

Always knew you were a self loathing, nation deprecating arsehole.

I'm not against celebrating Australian culture, I'm just saying nobody really agrees on what it is.

If you can't accept that I don't care.

So what ARE you celebrating?

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SadKangaroo

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #100 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:50pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:02pm:

It wasn't until they started having children of their own that they started to embrace their heritage because they wanted to keep it alive in their children, so they knew their history and where they came from.

But if white Anglo Australians want to do the same they are either called wacists or even their HAVING a heritage or culture of their own is questioned.
Look at this thread. Every heritage is respected, only Australianness is questioned, discounted or even dismissed out of hand.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating our culture in the same way, I'm just saying it's very difficult to articulate what that culture is.

We are a very young nation, with a founding that is difficult to celebrate.

We were a penal colony.

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #101 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:12pm

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm:

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:50pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:02pm:

It wasn't until they started having children of their own that they started to embrace their heritage because they wanted to keep it alive in their children, so they knew their history and where they came from.

But if white Anglo Australians want to do the same they are either called wacists or even their HAVING a heritage or culture of their own is questioned.
Look at this thread. Every heritage is respected, only Australianness is questioned, discounted or even dismissed out of hand.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating our culture in the same way, I'm just saying it's very difficult to articulate what that culture is.

We are a very young nation, with a founding that is difficult to celebrate.

We were a penal colony.

A wild guess - you are of Irish decent?

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SadKangaroo

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #102 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:14pm

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:12pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm:

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:50pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:02pm:

It wasn't until they started having children of their own that they started to embrace their heritage because they wanted to keep it alive in their children, so they knew their history and where they came from.

But if white Anglo Australians want to do the same they are either called wacists or even their HAVING a heritage or culture of their own is questioned.
Look at this thread. Every heritage is respected, only Australianness is questioned, discounted or even dismissed out of hand.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating our culture in the same way, I'm just saying it's very difficult to articulate what that culture is.

We are a very young nation, with a founding that is difficult to celebrate.

We were a penal colony.

A wild guess - you are of Irish decent?

I think my grandmother was half Irish but the closest thing to ever acknowledging that was her watching EastEnders when I was growing up.

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Frank

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #103 - Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:18pm

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm:

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:50pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:02pm:

It wasn't until they started having children of their own that they started to embrace their heritage because they wanted to keep it alive in their children, so they knew their history and where they came from.

But if white Anglo Australians want to do the same they are either called wacists or even their HAVING a heritage or culture of their own is questioned.
Look at this thread. Every heritage is respected, only Australianness is questioned, discounted or even dismissed out of hand.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating our culture in the same way, I'm just saying it's very difficult to articulate what that culture is.

We are a very young nation, with a founding that is difficult to celebrate.

We were a penal colony.

America was a penal colony for much longer than Australia. Australia was a substituted when the Americans went independent in 1776.

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SadKangaroo

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Re: What is Australian culture?
Reply #104 - Jul 13^th, 2024 at 8:53am

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:18pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 9:10pm:

Frank wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:50pm:

SadKangaroo wrote on Jul 12^th, 2024 at 4:02pm:

It wasn't until they started having children of their own that they started to embrace their heritage because they wanted to keep it alive in their children, so they knew their history and where they came from.

But if white Anglo Australians want to do the same they are either called wacists or even their HAVING a heritage or culture of their own is questioned.
Look at this thread. Every heritage is respected, only Australianness is questioned, discounted or even dismissed out of hand.

There is nothing wrong with celebrating our culture in the same way, I'm just saying it's very difficult to articulate what that culture is.

We are a very young nation, with a founding that is difficult to celebrate.

We were a penal colony.

America was a penal colony for much longer than Australia. Australia was a substituted when the Americans went independent in 1776.

And?

It's actually parts of American "culture" that are making their way into the Australian psyche that is eroding the things we would once point to as what made us great.

Using them as an example is a poor choice.

American Individualism, Consumerism and Materialism and Neo-Capitalism, they're all things that grate against the ideals of mateship and the have-a-go mentality.

The "Fu

ck

you I've got mine" mentality is growing and overtaking what was once something we could be proud of.

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