Welcome to Astraya
There are good things about Australia. Why not mention them here? Because Australians, in their vast majority, have proven at the last election that they don’t really care that much about those. Strange when you consider that the vast majority of Australians voted for people with a neoliberal economic agenda, so you’d expect them to understand the concept of "comparative advantage". But no. They’re happy to kill off exactly the things that made this a decent country...
Hence, this little blog aims to focus on what is becoming more and more prominent every day - the dark underbelly, the flipside, the everyday ugliness that is also Australia. Invariably, in concentrating on only one, albeit prominent, side of the story, this blog is: partisan, one-sided, biased, unfair, positively un-Australian and a good example of a goddamn whingeing foreigner's commie propaganda. "The Real Australia" tries to counter the prevalent jingoism and "aren't we great?" rednecked yahoos who rule this country (this means, judging by election results, the majority of Australians). Necessarily, there will be casualties. Yes, this will sometimes employ the broadest brush and generalisations imaginable but hey - this ain't no sociology site, hoss.
Thought I might give you some information about myself: I'm in my mid-thirties and have now been living in Sydney for six years. Originally from a working-class suburb chockers of council flats and housing estates (what's called housing commission in Sydney), I'm currently enjoying white-collar employment. My first language is not English and I grew up in a non-English speaking country. I have travelled in a fair few countries, and have lived in my country of birth, the UK and Australia.
This is a special announcement for Australians reading this, because I know what your knee-jerk reaction to even the mildest form of criticism is: NO, I AM NOT ENGLISH. And NO, I AM NOT A NEW ZEALANDER.
Why do this blog? It's a long story but I'll try and put it on a coaster for you. Australia is the most amazing country when it comes to the gap between self-perception and perception by the outside world on the one hand, and cold hard facts on the other, possibly only topped by the USA. Strangely enough, the "Image of Australia" (TM) is now about 30 years old but still powerful enough for Australians and non-Australians alike to believe that it actually reflects objective reality. You know what I mean: Australians are friendly, happy-go-lucky, welcoming of other cultures, open, jovial Crocodile Dundee types and Australia, as every Australian will tell you (you don't even need to ask), is "the best country in the world".
They're not. And it isn't.
My humble little effort will try to show you what, alas, the majority of Australians really support. At the end of the day, and the many pleasant niche cultures notwithstanding, this is what it is. In this respect, this blog also serves as a chronicle of how a once quite pleasant place is gurgling down the toilet.
But surely every country has its good and bad sides? Why bash poor Australia??
Two reasons, my friends: Iraq 2003 and the result of the Australian Federal Election in October 2004. Australia announced to the world that it wants to play with the big boys. That's fine, but it also means that Australia must now cop big boy criticism, that's the rules of the game you have chosen. The fact that Australia also constantly ignores or holds in contempt international initiatives or rules like the United Nations Convention on Human Rights or the Kyoto Treaty is almost by the by.
A lot of Australians usually respond to this, after endlessly informing you what a "whinger" (Australian code for any form of criticism, any form at all) you are, by accusing you of arrogance and that you're trying to tell them what's good for them. But no: you can walk like a duck to your hearts' content. You can quack like a duck until the cows come home. All that this little number here does is calling you ducks. No more, no less. If you don't like it, stop walking and quacking like ducks. You can do whatever you please and no-one, despite your inbuilt paranoia, is trying to tell you what to do. But you cannot seriously expect other people to like what you do. It really is as simple as that. I'm just recording what it is you say and do. You made your bed, now lie in it.
It might now be time to welcome you, the readers.
If you're an Australian reading this: sorry. This is what you look like at the moment. If you voted for Howard, you deserve all you get. If you didn't... you do as well, considering that this is the poorest opposition I have ever seen anywhere, both in parliament and especially in the streets.
If you're an American: seriously, mate, you really want to come to Australia. People will love you here, no matter how obnoxious or condescending you are or what you do. I'm constantly baffled. I've seen American tourists behave in ways here that would get them ridiculed, ignored, laughed at or even smacked in virtually every other country I've ever lived in or visited (and that's a fair few, as I said above) but Australians just lap it up. I'm not being sarcastic - this might very well be the only place left in the world that is so resolutely pro-American amongst its general populace.
If you're from anywhere else: I hope my little blog will help you to inform yourself more fully about Australia before maybe coming for a holiday or studies or work. The least I'm hoping for is that you might want to ask Australians you meet about things you've learned here. This country is incapable at the moment of seeing itself for what it is, so please, hold up a mirror as a community service.
Operational stuff. As this is my little AgitProp soapbox, I will try to update this blog three to four times a week, as time permits, sometimes more, sometimes less. I will also try and keep to the following guide lines for my posts:
FACT: Something I pick up off the web or out of books. Mostly of statistical nature, these little factoids may be debatable (you know, "lies, damned lies and statistics" and that) but still: you'd be amazed at how few Australians actually know any of these. They hardly get reported, and if they are no-one seems to want to listen.
COMMENT: When I give you my personal view of things, I'll warn you that this is what I'm doing - commenting. I'll also put up other peoples' opinions if I think they describe the current Australia accurately (and to get some backup on my own rantings...), and might also point you to some other interesting places. Of course it's only my (or someone else's) opinion, but I'll try to keep it as objective as humanly possible. As opposed to...
POLEMIC: Aah, good old polemic. Extremely unpopular as a literary or journalistic form in Australia, and occasionally I'll be ensuring that it stays that way. For when the cerebral safety valve fails. I'll try to at least make these funny, but essentially it'll just be me raving on. These might very well come across as reasonably offensive, especially if you're Australian and not really used to stinging criticism, so read at your own peril.
VIGNETTE: I think these are going to be great. Just little things that happen to me during my day, and I give you my iron-clad guarantee (for what that's worth) that these are all 100% true, even though some may sound outlandish. Believe it, readers: this is what Australia really looks like up close.
I'll mix and match these categories in individual posts occasionally I guess, as circumstances demand. We'll see.
Finally, all comments are welcome. Australians: keep in mind though, if you're flaming, you've basically proven my point. Comments are enabled even for anonymous users, however, anything -ist will be deleted. But you know that.
That is all. Hope you like what is basically my elegy for a country gone wrong. Hell hath no fury like a lover scorned, and the truth hurts. Is there a silver lining? As it is said here in this country's intensely analytical vernacular:
Dunno, mate.
Hence, this little blog aims to focus on what is becoming more and more prominent every day - the dark underbelly, the flipside, the everyday ugliness that is also Australia. Invariably, in concentrating on only one, albeit prominent, side of the story, this blog is: partisan, one-sided, biased, unfair, positively un-Australian and a good example of a goddamn whingeing foreigner's commie propaganda. "The Real Australia" tries to counter the prevalent jingoism and "aren't we great?" rednecked yahoos who rule this country (this means, judging by election results, the majority of Australians). Necessarily, there will be casualties. Yes, this will sometimes employ the broadest brush and generalisations imaginable but hey - this ain't no sociology site, hoss.
Thought I might give you some information about myself: I'm in my mid-thirties and have now been living in Sydney for six years. Originally from a working-class suburb chockers of council flats and housing estates (what's called housing commission in Sydney), I'm currently enjoying white-collar employment. My first language is not English and I grew up in a non-English speaking country. I have travelled in a fair few countries, and have lived in my country of birth, the UK and Australia.
This is a special announcement for Australians reading this, because I know what your knee-jerk reaction to even the mildest form of criticism is: NO, I AM NOT ENGLISH. And NO, I AM NOT A NEW ZEALANDER.
Why do this blog? It's a long story but I'll try and put it on a coaster for you. Australia is the most amazing country when it comes to the gap between self-perception and perception by the outside world on the one hand, and cold hard facts on the other, possibly only topped by the USA. Strangely enough, the "Image of Australia" (TM) is now about 30 years old but still powerful enough for Australians and non-Australians alike to believe that it actually reflects objective reality. You know what I mean: Australians are friendly, happy-go-lucky, welcoming of other cultures, open, jovial Crocodile Dundee types and Australia, as every Australian will tell you (you don't even need to ask), is "the best country in the world".
They're not. And it isn't.
My humble little effort will try to show you what, alas, the majority of Australians really support. At the end of the day, and the many pleasant niche cultures notwithstanding, this is what it is. In this respect, this blog also serves as a chronicle of how a once quite pleasant place is gurgling down the toilet.
But surely every country has its good and bad sides? Why bash poor Australia??
Two reasons, my friends: Iraq 2003 and the result of the Australian Federal Election in October 2004. Australia announced to the world that it wants to play with the big boys. That's fine, but it also means that Australia must now cop big boy criticism, that's the rules of the game you have chosen. The fact that Australia also constantly ignores or holds in contempt international initiatives or rules like the United Nations Convention on Human Rights or the Kyoto Treaty is almost by the by.
A lot of Australians usually respond to this, after endlessly informing you what a "whinger" (Australian code for any form of criticism, any form at all) you are, by accusing you of arrogance and that you're trying to tell them what's good for them. But no: you can walk like a duck to your hearts' content. You can quack like a duck until the cows come home. All that this little number here does is calling you ducks. No more, no less. If you don't like it, stop walking and quacking like ducks. You can do whatever you please and no-one, despite your inbuilt paranoia, is trying to tell you what to do. But you cannot seriously expect other people to like what you do. It really is as simple as that. I'm just recording what it is you say and do. You made your bed, now lie in it.
It might now be time to welcome you, the readers.
If you're an Australian reading this: sorry. This is what you look like at the moment. If you voted for Howard, you deserve all you get. If you didn't... you do as well, considering that this is the poorest opposition I have ever seen anywhere, both in parliament and especially in the streets.
If you're an American: seriously, mate, you really want to come to Australia. People will love you here, no matter how obnoxious or condescending you are or what you do. I'm constantly baffled. I've seen American tourists behave in ways here that would get them ridiculed, ignored, laughed at or even smacked in virtually every other country I've ever lived in or visited (and that's a fair few, as I said above) but Australians just lap it up. I'm not being sarcastic - this might very well be the only place left in the world that is so resolutely pro-American amongst its general populace.
If you're from anywhere else: I hope my little blog will help you to inform yourself more fully about Australia before maybe coming for a holiday or studies or work. The least I'm hoping for is that you might want to ask Australians you meet about things you've learned here. This country is incapable at the moment of seeing itself for what it is, so please, hold up a mirror as a community service.
Operational stuff. As this is my little AgitProp soapbox, I will try to update this blog three to four times a week, as time permits, sometimes more, sometimes less. I will also try and keep to the following guide lines for my posts:
FACT: Something I pick up off the web or out of books. Mostly of statistical nature, these little factoids may be debatable (you know, "lies, damned lies and statistics" and that) but still: you'd be amazed at how few Australians actually know any of these. They hardly get reported, and if they are no-one seems to want to listen.
COMMENT: When I give you my personal view of things, I'll warn you that this is what I'm doing - commenting. I'll also put up other peoples' opinions if I think they describe the current Australia accurately (and to get some backup on my own rantings...), and might also point you to some other interesting places. Of course it's only my (or someone else's) opinion, but I'll try to keep it as objective as humanly possible. As opposed to...
POLEMIC: Aah, good old polemic. Extremely unpopular as a literary or journalistic form in Australia, and occasionally I'll be ensuring that it stays that way. For when the cerebral safety valve fails. I'll try to at least make these funny, but essentially it'll just be me raving on. These might very well come across as reasonably offensive, especially if you're Australian and not really used to stinging criticism, so read at your own peril.
VIGNETTE: I think these are going to be great. Just little things that happen to me during my day, and I give you my iron-clad guarantee (for what that's worth) that these are all 100% true, even though some may sound outlandish. Believe it, readers: this is what Australia really looks like up close.
I'll mix and match these categories in individual posts occasionally I guess, as circumstances demand. We'll see.
Finally, all comments are welcome. Australians: keep in mind though, if you're flaming, you've basically proven my point. Comments are enabled even for anonymous users, however, anything -ist will be deleted. But you know that.
That is all. Hope you like what is basically my elegy for a country gone wrong. Hell hath no fury like a lover scorned, and the truth hurts. Is there a silver lining? As it is said here in this country's intensely analytical vernacular:
Dunno, mate.
posted by edgarross at 2:29 PM
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