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pietillidie
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
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Post subject: Does Australia have a cringeworthy new US fetish? | |
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Is it my imagination, or does Australia have a new US fetish? This is not a scientific observation by any means (though there might be some pertinent survey data out there), but I seem to be noticing it everywhere I go.
From being told to join in with 4th of July celebrations on radio this morning (WTF?), to an astonishing number of people living out daily life through nutty US cable news stations, to local political debate being framed by US events, the level of worship and adoration for Batshit Crazy Land has hit new highs.
I had thought this was just a Nick's phenomenon because many of us are big media readers, but not so, apparently.
Of course, it might be that Australian attitudes haven't changed, and increased access to global media has simply amplified the fawning. And there's always the Yellow and Brown Perils to usher the frightened into the arms of (even a hopelessly erratic and hamstrung) power.
No doubt it also suits the billionaires, global and local, to keep people focused on the chaos and fear of another country. What better way to make people imagine things are falling apart here than by placing them on virtual US streets? We need radical change, folks; can't you see things are falling apart?
If there are not enough Australian crazies to feed people's anger, fear and blood lust on TV each night, there is a veritable smorgasbord of US nutters on offer daily!
Whatever the case, why anyone would still obsess over the US after the disasters of Iraq/Afghanistan, the Global Financial Crisis, and the nation's chronic murder and poverty rates, is beyond comprehension. There are plenty of sane, high quality societies out there in the world to focus on, and the US isn't one of them. _________________ In the end the rain comes down, washes clean the streets of a blue sky town.
Help Nick's: http://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/fundraising.htm |
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David
I dare you to try
Joined: 27 Jul 2003 Location: Andromeda
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I notice this very much among the social justice oriented people of my generation. My Facebook feed is filled with posts from US blogs about issues that really have little relevance to Australian issues (like whether or not wearing a Native American head-dress constitutes 'cultural appropriation'). I don't have any American friends, so it's weird. It reminds me of that famous line from the '70s German film Kings of the Road: "The Yanks have colonised our subconscious". _________________ All watched over by machines of loving grace |
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think positive
Side By Side
Joined: 30 Jun 2005 Location: somewhere
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To be fair a lot of those are my posts David!
And yes I love the good ol Stars and Stripes!
The accents, Disneyland, Vegas, Florida, most of the people I've met there, the movies, planet Hollywood and rainforest cafe food, the Star-Spangled Banner, the play offs, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite national park, walmart, $20 American honey, Seinfeld, judge Judy, biggest loser, walking dead, Armstrong, sons of anarchy, Donahue and the greatest of all, Oprah! _________________ You cant fix stupid, turns out you cant quarantine it either! |
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sixpoints
Joined: 27 Sep 2010 Location: Lulie Street
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Do we have a new US fetish?
I think we've certainly had a US fetish since the dawn of mass popular US culture 1920's onwards. But I think we always saw the US as some mixture of exciting, powerful, modern, but also as distinctly foreign.
What worries me somewhat is the notion that many Australians seem to now be viewing the world through US eyes and wanting to adopt an unthinking US style approach to our civic life.
I too find much about the US exciting, powerful etc, but I do not want my country to become the US. We have a history of looking out for each other, something I think the Yanks could learn from us. But I'm concerned we may be heading down to some neo-US brand of obsessive individualism that is not the Australian way. |
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Wokko
Come and take it.
Joined: 04 Oct 2005
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O say can you see by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming,
Whose broad stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rockets' red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;
O say does that star-spangled banner yet wave,
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave? |
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pietillidie
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
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Nick - Pie Man
Joined: 04 Aug 2010
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sixpoints wrote: | I too find much about the US exciting, powerful etc, but I do not want my country to become the US. We have a history of looking out for each other, something I think the Yanks could learn from us. But I'm concerned we may be heading down to some neo-US brand of obsessive individualism that is not the Australian way. |
This. There's a lot to like about America, but there's also a lot that we would be better off without. America is the sort of country I'd visit for a holiday ... wouldn't want to live there.
A bit like Sydney, now that I think about it |
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watt price tully
Joined: 15 May 2007
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_________________ “I even went as far as becoming a Southern Baptist until I realised they didn’t keep ‘em under long enough” Kinky Friedman |
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swoop42
Whatcha gonna do when he comes for you?
Joined: 02 Aug 2008 Location: The 18
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I would rather live in a country where people like Maher and Stewart can openly say it like it is rather than a country like China or Russia where such free speech would get you thrown in a gaol cell somewhere. _________________ He's mad. He's bad. He's MaynHARD! |
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pietillidie
Joined: 07 Jan 2005
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swoop42 wrote: |
I would rather live in a country where people like Maher and Stewart can openly say it like it is rather than a country like China or Russia where such free speech would get you thrown in a gaol cell somewhere. |
Yes, but which one of the 63 countries which meet that criterion would you prefer to live in? (Ironically, one of the rankings Maher used was "freedom of the press"and the US was 44th according to whatever data he was using ). _________________ In the end the rain comes down, washes clean the streets of a blue sky town.
Help Nick's: http://www.magpies.net/nick/bb/fundraising.htm |
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HAL
Please don't shout at me - I can't help it.
Joined: 17 Mar 2003
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When was this exactly? |
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Pies4shaw
pies4shaw
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
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Go Pack! |
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partypie
Joined: 01 Oct 2010
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Onesies? |
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CP
Joined: 05 Feb 2003 Location: Melbourne
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One question for you, pietillidie, what is your experience of the USA, it's custom, people & culture from any of your extended stays there? |
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Skids
Quitting drinking will be one of the best choices you make in your life.
Joined: 11 Sep 2007 Location: Joined 3/6/02 . Member #175
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I'm goin' back there soon ... 10-12 weeks away i'm thinking. Haven't been there since 2010, can't wait! _________________ Don't count the days, make the days count. |
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