anya4oz

Thanks Merlot!

Again on the subject of customer service, it's just occurred to me that there is a new dichotomy about this in the UK, now that so many jobs that are considered 'menial' are offshored to places like India. On the one hand, you would think the Brits would be happy that these jobs were being delegated to someone else, but if this is the case, why are people so angry about it (and the unions so vocal)?

IMO we should blame British Prime Minister MacMillan for all of this: it was he who hit upon the idea of bringing West Indians over to to the UK in the 1950s to drive buses, clean public bathrooms etc. This very policy probably helped to implant the snobbery. It was very different during WW2, when the Brits had a 'muck-in, I'm up for anything' attitude (for instance, all those debs signing up to be land army gals & hospital volunteers) that actually made them a very strong and united nation. Certainly, many historians agree that much of the cynicism & rot set in postwar in 1945, when rationing continued (until 1954 in fact), the UK owed the US millions of dollars in war loans, and things didn't get better, even though we'd thrashed Hitler.

I'm not sure how far the above scenario would apply to Australia, and maybe that's where the difference lies?

Anya.

(PS apols for the history lesson but I've recently been studying this period, the 10 years after WW2. It is fascinating, seeing the social changes that the UK underwent during that time).

bondipom

Same shit here. Offshoring etc, anger from unions and cynicism about the "big end of town". Since the end of the war Australia has been importing labour on mass. The major difference is for 30 years the main criteria was the colour of your skin.

Merlot

This does ring true and digressing slightly my Dad who I love to bits took me to a fab supermarket in the "Paki" side of town (not my words, local description unfortunately).

Now we were in our element buying goodies to make curries, had a good chat with the owner then as we left he came out with what I can only describe as a snipping comment about look how "they" have turned that music hall into a mosque.

How can you buy into a culture and disregard it at the same time????

A lot of this is from his post war childhood in a working class part of England, just seemed to highlight how attitudes stick.

M

Hels

I'm hoping this doesnt come across the wrong way, because I dont consider myself as racist in the slightest.....however, having said that, my response to that statement would be the same way migrants anywhere can buy into a new country and disregard the culture in their new home. The same way people expect to be able to buy the same brands as where they left, have food taste the same, have things look and feel the same, have things cost the same, have things act the same and generally have things BE the same...

I'm not saying that bringing your own Culture to a new Country is a bad thing, in fact I believe the new Country is better off for the diversity. Its just when people dont also respect the fact the Country they have just moved to also has its own Culture and they dont also respect it that it bothers me...

Of course, this is all just my opinion.

Hels

Badge

Couldn't agree with you more Hels. With one possible exception:

You'll hear an excuse for this, Hels, which is, the way Pollyanna explained it to me:

"We're not knocking the new country, we're sharing our homesickness and suffering for something we miss, eg chocolate (insert) and it's all a bit of a lark. We like the new country really".

So migrants who import their food over to the UK are just enjoying what they like. It's when they undermine UK culture that they are on dangerous ground.

It's what you do to give to your new country that is important.

Badge

MrsDagboy

Missing Walkers Crisps or Marmite are one thing - saying that all food in this country is terrible or that you cant get any crisps is just plain rubbish.

As Hels said, different foods from different countries add to the cultural diversity. Look at all the excellent Asian/Greek/Turkish etc foods you can get here so easily now that you couldnt get 30 years ago. Wen I was growing up, you would no more have bought a baklava than flown to the moon & having a chinese meal in a retaurant was something that only swanky people did . Places like Chinatown & the areas where different cultures congregate & sell food have suddenly become very popular.

Not sure how Walkers Crisps or Marmite actually add to the cultural diversity yet, but if I find out I'll let you know .

Badge

[QUOTE=MikeStanton]
If you bother to review the posts, you will see it was actually the insecure ramblings of others, eg wombat42, quinkana, odaat, OzTennis that kept the subject alive. But, please don't let facts get in the way of your rant.

I dislike those that are narrow-minded, can't be bothered to find out the facts and many Daily Mail readers. Whether you like it or not, many Aussies are narrow-minded and parochial. You seem to fit the first 2 categories. Or do you score a hat-trick?
[QUOTE]

Mike, does this mean I don't count as I am not listed. Does this mean my point registered with you? Dare I...never mind...I'm sure I am so low on your radar you don't care..(!)

It's all about managing reputations and expectations Mike. You come across in a certain way, and then cement that mannerism. To be fair, you don't mention Oxbridge much, but being a heavy weight intellectual clearly is important to you. As it happens, I agree with your suggestion that much of BE is inane and lightweight at times eg lettuce(!). You just wind people up the wrong way just as people start to respect you.

And whilst Anya has views, I don't think she has any prejudices. Or was this accusation a recent tactic I think I have noticed - just throw back the accusation with a witticism or a tongue in cheek remark to create a smokescreen of confusion surrounded by sagacity.



Badge

GCS15

Earlier posts spoke of the unions being unhappy with offshoring etc

Recently here in Queensland, our Electricity workers got a nice pay rise. 27% over three years. Their were comments made about the inflationary effects that this would bring to the economy (hello? Has anyone seen the price of fuel and housing lately? Hello? Anyone home?)

Then two days later a local council elected to give themselves a tidy 1800% pay rise effective immediately. Media outcry? Nil

Ummm one lot plays with electricity. The other sits in air-conditioned offices. In fact the day that the electricity linesman got their pay rise one of them was electrocuted. So who deserves the money?

As for offshoring jobs I don't imagine any worker wants their job sent OS. That is why I buy Queensland products first, Aussie products second, then NZ, then UK, then Japan (I like Japanese culture). I avoid sweatshop nations and I avoid Facist countries where ever possible (it's hard).

If anyone has seen Mike Moores "the big one" there is a story where a factory closes down to move to Mexico. Was it not making money? Nope it was. In fact the boss said that if they had of been more profitable they would have moved sooner. Talk about a lack of incentive to be productive.

These big companies need to be closed down.

Rant over.

ABCDiamond

And what's wrong with lettuce ? I'm sure it's brought many a smile to many faces

But of course any new people to the forum will not have a clue what i'm saying

ABCDiamond

Which Council was that ? I hadn't heard those figures before, but, as you say, there was no media outcry, which is surprising in itself, as they normal attack things like that pretty quickly, especially the TV consumer programs.

anya4oz

The problem is, Badge, that the moment someone starts a meaningful debate about anything intelligent, it gets hi-jacked by the 'usual suspects', to peddle their own personal brands of bitterness, prejudice & personal insult.

There are a whole load of important issues which, IMO, we SHOULD be debating here, for example:

* the handover of UK sovereignty to the EU, and what knock-on effect this might have on Oz
* John Prescott's plans to build thousands of new homes in SE England, where you already can't move for people
* the fact that the UK is becoming the 51st state - and Oz the 52nd :scared:
* the fact that the Aussie government locked up a mentally ill woman for 2 years in an illegal immigrants' camp
* the fact that both the Oz & UK governments are still occupying Iraq - & will they join Condi Rice when she goes, all guns blazin', into Iran? & will our taxes, once again be diverted to pay for that?

These issues should concern us all, but as you & I know, after the first couple of posts on a thread to discuss any of them, we'll get the usual cr*p.

Anya.

Badge

I like it Anya. Discussion please. Bitterness, hatred, personal agendas no.

I don't mind the price of lettuce, it was one of Mike's examples. I don't mind the price of lettuce posts - its all about the price of a basket of goods.
I do occasionally get bored with the really wishy-washy stuff, but that's my problem.

Badge

anya4oz

Badge,

I've been enjoying the sensible grown up debate on *this* thread (well so far, anyway ):

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=282364

Nice to see people expressing their opinions and contributing without feeling the need to get personal.

Cheers,
Anya.

sloake

Hey..

I find people who start to get personal, noramlly have already lost the argument..

Shane

JackTheLad

well there was this

Councillors sticking their snouts in the trough

on today tonight on channel 7 the other night. It was a story comparing a shockingly bad council and a shockingly greedy one (see above link).

Cheers,
JTL