During my brief stay in this wonderful country I have heard
several people referring to things as "unAustralian".
Can someone please define "un Australian" and tell me why
this would necessarily be undesirable.
And do other countries have "un-thingy" behaviour?
("UnZimbabwean?", "Un-Chinese"??)
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It would have been Un-Australian not to have a few beers on
Australia Day last week (26/1)
It would be Un-Australian not to observe one minute's
silence on ANZAC Day (25/4)
It would be Un-Australian not to give Poms as much stick as
possible, but secretly like the majority of them.
It would be Un-Australian not to try and drink every
Irishman you meet under the table.
It would be Un-Australian not to enjoy a quiet beer or
fifteen with your mates on a Saturday afternoon.
It would be Un-Australian (from a male perspective) not to
tell your best mate how much you love him after consuming
aformentioned beers.
It would be Un-Australian not to have owned a Speedwell
pushbike at some stage in your life.
It would be Un-Australian not to love a bet - on anything,
anything at all.
It would be Un-Australian not to have had a chill run up
your spine every time you see the scene in The Man From
Snowy River, where man and horse careen down that steep,
slippery slope at break neck speed.
It would be Un-Australian not to secretly love the
stereotypical image Paul Hogan has portrayed for all of us.
It would be Un-Australian not to tell foreign visitors that,
yes indeed I do have a kangaroo in my back yard.
It would be Un-Australian not to like that endless series of
VB advertisments on television.
It would be Un-Australian not to barrack for the underdog.
It would be Un-Australian not to have squinted at the
horizon, in the face of another burning summer sunset.
It would be Un-Australian not to have been drenched by a
sudden summer thunder storm.
It would be Un-Australian not to have swallowed a fly at
some stage in your life.
It would be Un-Australian not to enjoy beating the Poms at
cricket, whether you are a cricket fan or not.
It would be Un-Australian not to know the words to Advance
Australia Fair and Waltzing Matilda.
It would be Un-Australian not to proudly proclaim your
nationality, no matter where you were in the world.
It would be Un-Australian not to be able to decipher
"Ayyoubloodymugavagowhydontya".
It would be Un-Australian not to have a jar of Vegemite in
the cupboard.
It would be Un-Australian not to be able to laugh at
ourselves.
This is of course from the perspective of a twenty-something
male WASP raised in the country.
Australian culture is many things to many people, I don't
think it can be accurately defined. The above points may
have very little relevance to many new immigrants and most
likely Australia's Aboriginal population as well.
Ever heard of the "UnAmerican Activities Committee" during
the McCarthy era? It referred ,of course, to supposed
communist activities.Un-Australian can refer to almost
anything,accept not knowing the second verse of the national
anthem,virtually no-one knows that.
being intelligent is pretty un-australian
Nise to see youre wun uvus!
It's an inane tabloid expression referring to people of independent mind doing anything that does not conform to some social stricture which is deemed to offend someone else's cheap nationalistic, jingoistic definition of what is "Australian".
point five is a good example of what is un-australian.
the term refers to what is fair or the correct thing to do.
here in the states we have had [along time ago] a gov't body
called the "house un-american activities comittee", i think
it was used to investigate communists in the fifties, there
was a weird hysteria then led by a senator Joe Mc Carthy
Joe,
Phill has captured perfectly what it is to be
'un-Australian'. His post doesn't take anything too
seriously and that is how you must view the concept of being
'un-Australian'.
The person at post number 5 was on the mark - to be
'un-Australian' is an excuse used by people if things don't
go there way - becuase of the actions of another person. No
one really knows what it means to be Australian, apart from
some jingoistic campaign thrust upon the masses (of which we
are all included) by wankers in the marketing department of
consumable products.
The term 'un-Australian' is pretty unrealistic.
I think it's easier to define what's "un-Australian" than to
define what is "Australian". I certainly feel the following
three activities are un-Australian and please feel free to
add to the list:
1. being accepted into this country as a refugee, then
subsequently contributing to the destruction of Australian
youth by importing, distributing and selling heroin.
2. shooting at police or police stations
3. insisting that your daughters undergo the barbaric
practice of female circumcision
I posed this question to some of my friends who, being down
to earth country lads themselves, came up with the following
suggestions: (I've culled some of the more crude examples)
It would be Un-Australian not to take advantage of our God
given right to the sickie
It would be Un-Australian not to do circle work
It would be Un-Australian not to have a Hills Hoist in the
backyard
It would be Un-Australian not to love V8's
It would be Un-Australian not to observe one minute's
silence at least twice a week at the local RSL (Returned
Services League) Club while consuming a dozen beers or so.
It would be Un-Australian not to call any successful New
Zealanders "Aussies" and the rest "sheep rooters".
It would be Un-Australian not to hate the Manly Sea Eagles
It would be Un-Australian not to have a have a good time
with the Bundy Bears.
t would be Un-Australian not to have done a nudie run on the
piss.
It would be Un-Australian not to have been skinny dipping,
preferably in someone elses pool or at the beach, with a VB
still in your hand.
It would be Un-Australian not to have tried to out do your
mates at talking bullshit, particularly regarding
girlfriends, dangerous experiences and sex.
It would be Un-Australian not to think that Australia has
the best looking women in the world.
It would be Un-Australian not to have taken part in a boat
race.
It would be Un-Australian not to own a pair of thongs.
It would be un Australian not to have a street sign with
your name on it in your bedroom. Or at least a flashing road
work sign.
"Un-Australian not to think that Australia has the best
looking women in the world." Geez, that's stretchin' things
a bit!!
It would be un-Australian not to believe that everyone human is a "bloke" and women are some strange appendage to the human race suitable for shagging and producing the next generation of blokes.
PhillC, you can come and have a barbie at my place any time.
Well I have to agree with Sally sentiments, most of my
Un-Australian comments were from a male's perspective. I'm
trying to find some female points of view now.
Thanks for the kind offer of the barbie Kate, see you
Saturday then ?
This is a travel bulletin board and we really shouldn't
digress into philosophical debate, but I think it would be
much harder to define exactly what Australian culture is.
There are some broad stereotypes, and I know that I have a
very strong opinion about what is Australian culture to me,
on a personal level. But this would most certainly not apply
to the majority of the Australian population. I'm probably
from a minority group, born and raised in a rural
environment. Which has instilled me with many values and
ideas which are unique to such an upbringing. Having said
that I've now lived in Sydney for a few years and have
learn't much from the experience.
Australian culture is, in my humble opinion, anything which
is unique to some part of the Australian psyche.
One last addition....
It would be un Australian to have not swung from a piece of
rope tied to a tree into the local river.
Some of this stuff is amazing - so is anyone keen (and able
to set up a text website? Would if I knew how...
It's unAustralian (in London) not to pack yourself into a
"Walkabout" pub on Australia Day and pay รบ5 a beer?
I've started something similar at:
http://www.healey.com.au/~pclarke/unaussie.html
Basically it contains my initial thoughts plus additions
from friends who have felt the need to contribute.
Cheers
Phill
IT WOULD BE VERRY UN-AUSTRALIAN IF YOU DID NOT SHIT ON A NEW
COMERS JUST BECAUSE HE OR SHE WAS BORN SOMEWHERE ELSE AND
NOT IN THIS GREAT COUNTRY.
IT WOULD BE UN-AUSTRALIAN IF AN AUSSIE WOULD GIVE A FAIR GO
TO A "NEW AUSTRALIAN""
we give you a fair go =one way ticket home that would be
UN-AUSTRALIAN.
It would be Un-European not to come to Australia & love the
bloody place & never want to leave...!
Any americanisms such as "sidewalk" instead of "footpath",
"trash" instead of "rubbish" etc etc. They are
unAustralian. Also check out the discussion about Americans
in Europe in the Western Europe section of the Thorn Tree.
Tim.
Un Australian is a phrase that divides people. You're either
an Australian or your not -- with us or against us.
It must come from Australia's isolationist past.
I don't know where it originally came from, but the only
people I ever hear using it are politicians -- especially
racist ones like Pauline Hanson.
For that reason it is best buried forever.
the title say it ... well done , forget it
the title say it ... well done , forget it
are you sure you're not from Texas? Minus the Cricket?
It would be 'Un-Australian' to say that you're a man in
your own right, that you love your mates near and far for
who they are, and not some nationalist slogan
.
would be UnAustralian to never get take your clothes off in
the pub
It would be totally un-Australian to continue denying
Aboriginal legitimacy.
It would be un-Australian not to be called Jason, Jay,
Craig, Todd, Darren or Stevo.
It would un-Australian not to wear a plain blue singlet.
It would un-Australian not to smoke Winfield Reds.
ANYONE WHO HAS A GO AT PHIL FOR HAVING A BIT OF FUN IS JUST A BORING WANKER
It would be Un-Australian to make a new life in Australia
but then also import the political violence from your
previous country. Pack your bags and go home.
I'm not Australlian but I had a Australlian roomate for a while and one thing I learned was that NOT liking Vegamite is very UN-Australlian
Beneath the hmm hmm Southern Cross
We Toil with hearts and hands
To make our youthfull Commonwealth
Renound of all the lands.
Can someone else fill in the hmmm hmmm?
It would be un-Australian to not give as good as you get
and take it on the chin.
It would be un-Australian not to use every derogatory word
under the sun to express how much you like some one.
ie if an Aussie tends to be polite to you always (except if
they're in sales or an employee .. but even then..)......
they hate your guts and think you're a waste of space.
BUT if an Aussie is rude as fuck to you then they probably
think you're all right.
Hmmmm, yes. I think that being un-australian is being
american. You are the best nation in the world after all...
Radiant - I think