We’ve all heard the Australian stereotypes. But where do the stereotypes come from? Australia’s identity encompasses many widespread stereotypes, some of which are used advantageously to promote Australia on a global scale. Globally, Australia’s main stream identity is that of a baron outback. Adding to the collective stereotype; bogans and yobbos have played a developmental role in the Australians characteristic identity. Australia has developed an alcoholic culture that has been celebrated and generalized by many others.
The fact that Australia was considered as a global nation, which was ‘open to multiple international cultural, political and economic influences (pp.222), was very contentious. Sheridan makes it clear that Asia involvement has shaped Australia, acknowledging the positive and necessary changes in areas including culture, economy, education, defence and more. Knight indicates that Australia was encouraged to begin the desire for economic gain and civilisation. He states ‘Australia thus inherited from Britain a European country, its sense of cultural identity and its feeling of superiority towards Asia and Asians’(pp.223). This demonstrates that Australia views towards Asia were constantly changing leading to an increase in problems examples including smuggling and entering legally from other states.
Australia’s experiences of World War II were significant for Australia and impacted on the shaping of our national identity. Australia 's response to entry into World War II in 1939 differed from Australia 's entry into World War I in 1914. Reasons for this includes attitudes towards war changing after gaining the knowledge and experiencing consequences of World War I, the conditions and lead up to World War II as well as Australia’s strong support for Britain. Firstly, the attitude of Australians changed due to World War 3I proving that war was not glamourous or exciting like it was assumed. During the lead up to World War II Australians had already struggled to survive through the depression and were now required to survive at war. Finally, by 1939, Australians were questioning the validity to support and defend the 'Mother Country ' at all costs. These are just three of the World War II experiences that helped shape the nation.
Coming from America to Australia I think it was easy for me to notice how Americanized it is here. Australian popular culture has been significantly affected by America in areas including food, sport, film, clothing, and music. Despite the many differences between Australia and the United States, there is a connection between the people of these two nations. Since I started researching this topic I saw a lot of articles saying how Australia is Americas little brother, I definitely would have to second that.
We must be the architects of this new Australia, built again with egalitarianism as its foundation and equality, justice and acceptance as its cornerstones. Envision, if you will, an Australia where all Indigenous cultures, communities and people are respected, recognised and revered. An Australia where Indigenous Australians are finally equal. A truly egalitarian Australia. It is my hope that we can be united in the pursuit of this future.
Australia Day is one of the most unique national day’s in the world throughout history, celebrating the day of when our ancestors first arrived on the borders of Australia, in 1788. Rather than unite people as one whole though, the spirited outcome of this event isn’t what as anticipated by everyone and has divided the Australian society for good. And so it should be held at an alternative date, where Australian citizens feel worthy of their identity and not cheated by it. However, the celebration shouldn’t be adapted to like that of other commemorations like ANZAC day. Essentially, this day will always be a tragic memory for the indigenous and be viewed as the invasion of their homeland.
Australian Identity What is a true blue Aussie? We are all here today celebrating our country’s birthday because we are all true blue Aussies. No longer is the definition of an Australian just a flip-flop wearing, zinc-nosed beachgoer, yet a large portion of the population still see it as so. Evidently, as a nation, we have remained in the history books, seemingly incapable of redefining what we consider to be Australian. So what should the new definition of a contemporary Australian identity be?
In Indigenous Australians’ perspective, country means everything consisting of the air, water, land and stories of “Dreaming”. Country is dynamic and multilayered, forming culture, values and beliefs of existence between human and species. Country connects Indigenous Australian to their ancestral beings from the time of creation. Every living creature, family, kin and community is integral part and connected to the country. Loss of country precipitated by land dispossession is tantamount to loss of identity, family and independence.
The Ngunnawal People have been living within the borders and surrounding mountains of the Australian Capital Territory for over 25,000 years. The way the Indigenous people used the land to live off was extremely efficient and sustainable. They had a bounty of knowledge about the land surrounding them, and over generations, devised resourced management skills to ensure maintenance of the animals and plants, and most importantly, the land in which provided these things. Aboriginal culture existed long before Captain Cook arrived in Australia in 1770. He claimed the land to be "Terra-Nullius", meaning that the land did not belong to any person. This claim obviously seemed ludicrous and crazy to the Indigenous people whom already lived on the land.
Persuasive Speech Ah Australia. The land of opportunity. The land of freedom and equality. The land of wealth and good health. The lucky country.
From the quote mentioned above, Comparably, our Australian identity that is also exhibited in the film, is emphasized. We, as a nation, believe that we are compassionate, resilient, accepting and that in times of need we will come together and unite as one. This is the true Australian identity. However, from other countries perspectives, Us, Australians are conveyed as being racist, disrespectable and that we are not accepting.
Australia is the land of the fair go for a very select number of demographics, while the other 90% of people experience Australia as anything but. People who cannot experience Australia as the land of the fair go are people that have to deal with abusive fathers, discrimination, being subjected to racism and being part of poor large families. Australia may have been dubbed as the land of the fair go, but Australia is no such
Australia became known as a workingman’s paradise at the turn of the twentieth century, however, for a large majority of the population Australia was far from a paradise. Due to their rejection of the British class system, and the instalment of the eight hour working day and a basic wage Australians believed themselves to be an egalitarian society with equal opportunities. And this much was true, for the working class, white male. For the rest of the population, the women, children and non-Europeans life was a different story. For them, Australia was not the workingman’s paradise it claimed to be.
An Australian Republic is about us — not the Queen, not Prince Charles or the world economy. We should do it now, without delay. As Nelson Mandela once said, “ For to be free is not merely to cast off one 's chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” Until we break our last Constitutional links to the mother country, our nationhood is incomplete. Now after just over 115 years of Federation, Australia must finally join the world of nations as a full equal, unshackled to any other nation.
During World War 2 (1939 – 1945), Australia had a variety of impacts on both its government and its people. The war had a great effect on the place of indigenous people in Australia as indigenous men and women joined services throughout the country. The Aboriginal Australians, both the men and the women had contributed in the second Great War. Meanwhile, when the Aboriginals of Australia had jobs during World War 2, Australia’s economy boomed with the help of the war as many Australian troops had gone out to fight for the British. The economy had boomed during the period of the Second World War as Australian products could be produced as well.