Are Australians boring?
#16
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Joined: Oct 2008
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Re: Are Australians boring?
I think you might be looking for 'alternative' types of people and that just isn't Australia. This country has maintained a strong sense of peace and stability by being very uniform and having a culture of conformity - this is good as it massively reduces social conflict.
I have lived in places where there are lots of prominent 'sub groups' and all it does is create division and conflict. I prefer a society of sameness and certainty.
I have lived in places where there are lots of prominent 'sub groups' and all it does is create division and conflict. I prefer a society of sameness and certainty.
The thing with sub groups is that they allow those not in the mainstream to find a place/identity without impacting to much on mainstream values.
Surely a mature demorcratic society can make room for all within the law.It makes life less sanitised and more interesting as well.
I agree most people probably do prefer the sameness and predictability of the place though. Surely we don't need to be like South Korea or Japan etc
#17
Re: Are Australians boring?
Thing to recognise is that there is a cultural gradient centred on Canberra - the further you get from there the less you get the boring/conservative/PC global mindset, and the more you get what you might call 'typical aussie'.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
#18
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Joined: Jan 2008
Location: Sydney
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Re: Are Australians boring?
Might be a Sydney thing. I found that people there tended to talk about property and business a lot of the time. My idea of hell is a dinner party on the North Shore where everyone is talking about their house prices/moves/renovations or how their house relates to local schools/transport ... (sorry I am sticking knitting needles into my eyes by this point).
#19
Re: Are Australians boring?
Thing to recognise is that there is a cultural gradient centred on Canberra - the further you get from there the less you get the boring/conservative/PC global mindset, and the more you get what you might call 'typical aussie'.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
Murrumbateman is a decent quaint town surrounded by wineries with local farm folk who abhor Canberra yet only 20 minutes away.
#20
Re: Are Australians boring?
Might be a Sydney thing. I found that people there tended to talk about property and business a lot of the time. My idea of hell is a dinner party on the North Shore where everyone is talking about their house prices/moves/renovations or how their house relates to local schools/transport ... (sorry I am sticking knitting needles into my eyes by this point).
Its also a maturity/stability thing that comes with age, whats wrong with discussing the future of your family and their home with others of the same ilk? I sometimes yearn for shooting off to the pub with my mates and giving each other grief about our football teams, having a few beers and then going home....but locality and maturity changes that.
#21
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Re: Are Australians boring?
Some are. Some aren't.
#23
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Re: Are Australians boring?
Agree with the suburban thing. That's a good point. Mayne they are not that boring but by the time they get suburban they're definitely not interested in being interesting. Getting conversation out of some is hard work.
Maybe they take longer to open up. Some of the guys in my team it's taken a year. The immigrants are not like that at all. Getting to the point when you think it's not worth making an effort as don't think there is much up there ;-)
Last edited by itxrd; Dec 16th 2012 at 11:05 pm.
#24
Re: Are Australians boring?
I agree with those who say Australia is, in the main, a conformist society.
It's my observation that to be "different" in Australia risks being labelled or ridiculed as "odd" whereas the wonder of eccentricity is celebrated in the UK.
It's my observation that to be "different" in Australia risks being labelled or ridiculed as "odd" whereas the wonder of eccentricity is celebrated in the UK.
#25
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Joined: Aug 2011
Location: brisbane
Posts: 68
Re: Are Australians boring?
I've just been talking, through FB, to a good mate of mine in the UK. Asked what he's been up to and basically his response was sitting in the house watching TV or going to the local for a few beers!
We were at an Ozzie friends house for a BBQ two nights ago, apart from the wine and food we ended up playing table tennis and darts whilst the kids played on the trampoline and sang made-up songs. Water skiing, climbs and sport at the weekends are frequent activities for the Ozzie family. Not boring to me and their sense of humour is excellent.
We were at an Ozzie friends house for a BBQ two nights ago, apart from the wine and food we ended up playing table tennis and darts whilst the kids played on the trampoline and sang made-up songs. Water skiing, climbs and sport at the weekends are frequent activities for the Ozzie family. Not boring to me and their sense of humour is excellent.
#26
Re: Are Australians boring?
Hmm I disagree. Since I been here I met 1 australian character. In that time I've met more Irish and Scottish characters. And thats in Australia
Agree with the suburban thing. That's a good point. Mayne they are not that boring but by the time they get suburban they're definitely not interested in being interesting. Getting conversation out of some is hard work.
Maybe they take longer to open up. Some of the guys in my team it's taken a year. The immigrants are not like that at all. Getting to the point when you think it's not worth making an effort as don't think there is much up there ;-)
Agree with the suburban thing. That's a good point. Mayne they are not that boring but by the time they get suburban they're definitely not interested in being interesting. Getting conversation out of some is hard work.
Maybe they take longer to open up. Some of the guys in my team it's taken a year. The immigrants are not like that at all. Getting to the point when you think it's not worth making an effort as don't think there is much up there ;-)
Maybe it's you who's boring and people just don't want to engage in conversation with you? I live in the suburbs and would definitely say I'm not boring - and definitely interested in being interesting and I have never had a problem with conversing with Australians or people from any other country.
I have to ask you...When you lived in UK how many newcomers to your work did you make any effort to get to know? How many immigrants were in your circle of friends?
#27
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Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: Are Australians boring?
I agree that Australia is conformist but is that a good thing? Don't think it equates an interesting society. It can suppress a lot of creatative thought and individuality. Not best for mental health also. Hence the Stanford Wives comparrison is I've noticed often used to critique Australia.
Surely a mature demorcratic society can make room for all within the law.It makes life less sanitised and more interesting as well.
Surely a mature demorcratic society can make room for all within the law.It makes life less sanitised and more interesting as well.
I don't like Stepford and to be honest, I don't know what these people talk about once they have built and furnished their homes...
Thing to recognise is that there is a cultural gradient centred on Canberra - the further you get from there the less you get the boring/conservative/PC global mindset, and the more you get what you might call 'typical aussie'.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
Position yourself on that gradient to match what you want to live with.
I have had dinner parties on the North Shore where we never talked of things like that, but other times we have. I have also had those same conversations at barbies on the south coast. Its not a Sydney 'North Shore' thing, that just sounds like a typical 'southerners vs northerners' or 'council house vs private house' comment from back in the UK.
Its also a maturity/stability thing that comes with age, whats wrong with discussing the future of your family and their home with others of the same ilk? I sometimes yearn for shooting off to the pub with my mates and giving each other grief about our football teams, having a few beers and then going home....but locality and maturity changes that.
Its also a maturity/stability thing that comes with age, whats wrong with discussing the future of your family and their home with others of the same ilk? I sometimes yearn for shooting off to the pub with my mates and giving each other grief about our football teams, having a few beers and then going home....but locality and maturity changes that.
I think overall the UK is more eccentric - but there are whole swathes of people in the UK who can't stand eccentricity. There are people who in live in Wimpy estates who see people as eccentric, or with strong individual streaks as 'posh' for example. 'Not like us'. Go to Lakeside Thurrocks, or to Kingston, London, on a Saturday morning and you will see UK conformity.
I also recommend people read the Culture sections of the newspapers - there are people around.
#28
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Re: Are Australians boring?
There are over 20 million people living in Australia. How can every one (with the exception of the one you met) be "boring"?
Maybe it's you who's boring and people just don't want to engage in conversation with you? I live in the suburbs and would definitely say I'm not boring - and definitely interested in being interesting and I have never had a problem with conversing with Australians or people from any other country.
I have to ask you...When you lived in UK how many newcomers to your work did you make any effort to get to know? How many immigrants were in your circle of friends?
Maybe it's you who's boring and people just don't want to engage in conversation with you? I live in the suburbs and would definitely say I'm not boring - and definitely interested in being interesting and I have never had a problem with conversing with Australians or people from any other country.
I have to ask you...When you lived in UK how many newcomers to your work did you make any effort to get to know? How many immigrants were in your circle of friends?
As for the burbs I'm sorry but it is soooo boring here it's unreal. someone walking past the house is an event. your just in the middle of nowhere.
I am out all the time and making an effort. If I go to the park/shops etc in most places I'll end up chatting to people. But here...no one wants to know you. They already have all their pals. Thank god were moving away that's all I can say.
#29
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: Perth
Posts: 6,765
Re: Are Australians boring?
Might be a Sydney thing. I found that people there tended to talk about property and business a lot of the time. My idea of hell is a dinner party on the North Shore where everyone is talking about their house prices/moves/renovations or how their house relates to local schools/transport ... (sorry I am sticking knitting needles into my eyes by this point).
#30
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Re: Are Australians boring?
There are over 20 million people living in Australia. How can every one (with the exception of the one you met) be "boring"?
Maybe it's you who's boring and people just don't want to engage in conversation with you? I live in the suburbs and would definitely say I'm not boring - and definitely interested in being interesting and I have never had a problem with conversing with Australians or people from any other country.
I have to ask you...When you lived in UK how many newcomers to your work did you make any effort to get to know? How many immigrants were in your circle of friends?
Maybe it's you who's boring and people just don't want to engage in conversation with you? I live in the suburbs and would definitely say I'm not boring - and definitely interested in being interesting and I have never had a problem with conversing with Australians or people from any other country.
I have to ask you...When you lived in UK how many newcomers to your work did you make any effort to get to know? How many immigrants were in your circle of friends?
As for the burbs I'm sorry but it is soooo boring here it's unreal. someone walking past the house is an event. your just in the middle of nowhere.
I am out all the time and making an effort. If I go to the park/shops etc in most places I'll end up chatting to people. But here...no one wants to know you. They already have all their pals. Thank god were moving away that's all I can say.
Ps maybe I should change the title to Aussie are boring and unfriendly