Is Australia becoming American

[HIGHERBEAM]

Australia - following colonization and, later, subsidised immigration - was largely British.

Even back in the nineteen fifties Australia self-consciously emulated American trends.

Now it's trendy to despise US trends, while voraciously devouring American culture at every opportunity.

In fact, Australia is about as multicultural as you can get. Where once there were few restaurants and the greasy cafes served exclusively British food, immigrants other than British have provided a glorious array of wonderful restaurants and supermarket stocks from all over the world.

If MacDonalds, KFC and so on are in most suburbs, they're overwhelmed by Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, Turkish, Greek, Indian...the list is endless...restaurants and takeaways.

Australians pick up US idioms, but they've always picked up on other languages and colloquialisms; it's what the English language does. Americans owe a large part of their accent to the Irish, and all of their language to European and New World and other sources.

If any Australian would prefer to avoid American language and culture, they're free to do so. It isn't compulsory.

[HIGHERBEAM]

Yes I am back to have a look but don't expect me to vote or answer stupid comments as I am not interested as I have forums and websites to run and have just come for a reasoned debate.

[Super Nova]

Welcome back HB.

When I have some free time I will respond.

[boxy]

Um, OK.

The world is a huge melting pot, and the only countries that avoid it are either isolated by economics (basket cases) or by protectionist (often despotic) policy.

[HIGHERBEAM]

Americans are very patriotic people. Some of the patriotism can be attributed to the impressive array of American achievements that include landing on the moon, stopping Nazi Germany, inventing the internet and winning 30 per cent of Nobel Prizes. Some of the patriotism can be attributed to American history, and the emotive rallies that were initially used to unite diverse groups into once force capable of overthrowing the English. Some of the patriotism can be attributed to American psychology, which has always fostered a strong identification with the group. The group psychology that was initially cultivated on a racial, religious, civic or state level, has now been transferred to a national level.

Although patriotism can unite Americans, it can also divide them. Each American subculture has a tendency to believe its culture is what America is about, and they will fight to preserve that culture by using the American flag as a rallying symbol. For example, many American Christians believe that America is about obeying god’s laws. Many atheists believe America is about escaping god’s laws. Texans may believe America is about the cowboy culture that refused to surrender at the Alamo. Californians may believe America is about the Hollywood dream. New Yorkers may believe America is about holding the golden lamp to the citizens of the world that want to breath free. As each subculture asserts its own respective definition of American patriotism, it can come into conflict with subcultures that have a different definition. In the past, such conflicts were dealt with by simply moving up the river to found a new town or initiating a civil war. In modern times, such an option is no longer available.

For many Australians, patriotism is a negative concept. In the colonial era, patriotism was a threat to British rule and discouraged accordingly. Today, a variety of justifications are used to argue that patriotism has no place in Australia. For example, at the 2007 Sydney Big Day Out (a music festival held on Australia Day) organisers argued that the Australian flag was symbolic of racism and needed to be banned. According to promoter Ken West,

[boxy]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Australia_ ... g_American" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/yankaussie.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this just a thread to copy and paste from other blogs?

[Rorschach]

Australia - following colonization and, later, subsidised immigration - was largely British.

Australian were British subjects until late last century.

Even back in the nineteen fifties Australia self-consciously emulated American trends.

Not as much as they did the British from which in many aspects they were indistinguishable.

Now it's trendy to despise US trends, while voraciously devouring American culture at every opportunity.

Really? I'd have thought that would depend on your politics.

In fact, Australia is about as multicultural as you can get.

You mean we have a settlement policy foisted on us by a handful of pollies and lobbyists called multiculturalism.

Where once there were few restaurants and the greasy cafes served exclusively British food, immigrants other than British have provided a glorious array of wonderful restaurants and supermarket stocks from all over the world.

I like roast lamb peas and mashed potatoes thanks and don't find them greasy at all. Restaurants and food does not make a country Multicultural. Most food eaten in Australia is grown in Australia. Recipes can be bought in books.

If MacDonalds, KFC and so on are in most suburbs, they're overwhelmed by Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Russian, Italian, French, Spanish, Turkish, Greek, Indian...the list is endless...restaurants and takeaways.

Yet enclaves tend to satisfy mainly one nationality and their cuisine. Enclaves are signs of disunity.

Australians pick up US idioms, but they've always picked up on other languages and colloquialisms; it's what the English language does. Americans owe a large part of their accent to the Irish, and all of their language to European and New World and other sources.

Australians used to be fairly good mimicks. So what? We have quite an extensive home grown linguistic idiom called STRINE.

If any Australian would prefer to avoid American language and culture, they're free to do so. It isn't compulsory.

And apart from the upturn due to Filipino Immigration where they were indoctrinated due to Clarke AFBase etc the American influence was rather mild. Even considering the Musical and Cinematic influences of America globally.

[HIGHERBEAM]

Finally Boxy you have started to use the web to debate,yes that is right. We have become too americanized for our own good where we blindly follow america to war,follow their culture at the detriment to the aboriginal culture and the culture of our forefathers.

Will we have an americanised political culture where all sherriffs( Police Commisioners ) are elected and have a President?

Can we really expect to have america come to aid if china invades as china owns american debt?

Why are we not trying to get closer to our closest northern neighbours instead of using them as detention centres?

We left PNG to their own devices once we had stripped the minerals out of the land as in the case of poor Nauru.

Every time we go on our own ( Timor,Solomons ) we prove we are better than America at being the world Sheriff so why do we persist in trying to be like america instead of being proud Australian with a culture of our own.

We have a individual and proud Flag that our diggers have fought and died under yet the younger generation are ashamed of it.Why doesn't the education system instill in to the younger generation we have a proud culture with a diversity unlike any other country.

Stuff the world economy, look after ourselves

[Rorschach]

Finally Boxy you have started to use the web to debate,yes that is right. We have become too americanized for our own good where we blindly follow america to war,follow their culture at the detriment to the aboriginal culture and the culture of our forefathers.

Rubbish. I might like a lot of American Music, cinema and TV, but I am not becoming American. I don't subscribe to their culture nor do most Australians, we are closer to Canadians than Americans. Canadians aren't exactly in love with Americans either.

Will we have an americanised political culture where all sherriffs( Police Commisioners ) are elected and have a President?

Yet clearly at the last referendum on a Republic that idea was defeated. You can't keep posting stuff that the facts don't support you know and not look silly.

Can we really expect to have america come to aid if china invades as china owns american debt?

We have a treaty... so far we have been upholding our end of it. I'm not 100% certain how the US would react in such an occurance. But the world is bigger than both China and the US. Other countries would have a stake in our continuity.

Why are we not trying to get closer to our closest northern neighbours instead of using them as detention centres?

Rubbish.

We left PNG to their own devices once we had stripped the minerals out of the land as in the case of poor Nauru.

Rubbish.

Every time we go on our own ( Timor,Solomons ) we prove we are better than America at being the world Sheriff so why do we persist in trying to be like america instead of being proud Australian with a culture of our own.

i think you will find most Australians do not think of ourselves as the worlds sheriff. Nor do we support America's use of the term. yet another cultural difference.

We have a individual and proud Flag that our diggers have fought and died under yet the younger generation are ashamed of it.

yes, that is why so many wave it and wrap themselves in it. Progressives and those anglophobic want to change it. So far they are a minority.

Why doesn't the education system instill in to the younger generation we have a proud culture with a diversity unlike any other country.

Huh? You gotta make your mind up. You are pro-Australian culture or Multiculturalist... you can't be both.

[AiA in Atlanta]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Australia_ ... g_American" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/yankaussie.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Is this just a thread to copy and paste from other blogs?

No, this is a thread being used by Aussie to highlight that his meatpuppet HB was not on the voting roll.