Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Jan 26th 2007, 2:27 pm
#1
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Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Jan 26th 2007, 3:28 pm
#2
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
The author in mention was on BBC Radio 2, Jeremy Vine, this week plugging his book.
1st impressions were he swallowed a dictionary and talked crap, but then he did seem to have some valid points
Jan 26th 2007, 4:08 pm
#3
Happy migrant
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Seems like I made a good choice in going to Melbourne. 
Jan 26th 2007, 5:36 pm
#4
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
A depressing read; sounds like middle-class Sydney has lost her soul (though we must remember that he's talking about well-heeled yuppies here, not the average Sydney punter).
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
I thought all Australians were lazy skivers who take regular sickies? 
I thought all Australians were hopeless couch potatoes who suffer from chronic obesity?
I thought all Australians were so wrapped up in the "She'll be right" mentality that they never strive to excel, and can't be bothered to improve themselves?
I thought all Australians were scruffy slobs with no fashion sense, who never wear anything more formal than T-shirts, shorts and thongs?
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
Instead, he found a city in thrall to American values and a puritan work ethic that robbed life of joy and meaning. Middle-class Sydney, he writes, is "packed with career-obsessed workaholics". When they are not working the longest hours in the developed world
they pursue perfect bodies through joyless fitness regimes
or obsess about property prices. Always, they are looking around anxiously, in the hope that others aren't doing better than them.
"(It was) full of people who place a high value on money, professional status and appearance," he said.
Last edited by Vash the Stampede; Jan 26th 2007 at 5:38 pm.
Jan 26th 2007, 7:02 pm
#5
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Jan 26th 2007, 7:17 pm
#6
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Can't comment on book from a tiny excerpt, but he does seem to have put his finger on some things about Sydney.
Having started off wanting to live near there we were totally disillusioned for many of the same reasons - and a lot more - and now, whenever we have to go into the place for any reason thank God when we drive past Campbelltown on the way home! And we are surrounded by folk who have moved away from Sydney, all for similar reasons.
Having started off wanting to live near there we were totally disillusioned for many of the same reasons - and a lot more - and now, whenever we have to go into the place for any reason thank God when we drive past Campbelltown on the way home! And we are surrounded by folk who have moved away from Sydney, all for similar reasons.
Jan 26th 2007, 7:32 pm
#7
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
A depressing read; sounds like middle-class Sydney has lost her soul (though we must remember that he's talking about well-heeled yuppies here, not the average Sydney punter).
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
I thought all Australians were lazy skivers who take regular sickies?
I thought all Australians were hopeless couch potatoes who suffer from chronic obesity?
I thought all Australians were so wrapped up in the "She'll be right" mentality that they never strive to excel, and can't be bothered to improve themselves?
I thought all Australians were scruffy slobs with no fashion sense, who never wear anything more formal than T-shirts, shorts and thongs?
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
I thought all Australians were lazy skivers who take regular sickies?
I thought all Australians were hopeless couch potatoes who suffer from chronic obesity?
I thought all Australians were so wrapped up in the "She'll be right" mentality that they never strive to excel, and can't be bothered to improve themselves?
I thought all Australians were scruffy slobs with no fashion sense, who never wear anything more formal than T-shirts, shorts and thongs?
"though we must remember that he's talking about well-heeled yuppies here, not the average Sydney punter"
...all your other comments DO apply to the average Sydney punter.
Jan 26th 2007, 8:04 pm
#8
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Jan 26th 2007, 8:26 pm
#9
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Not for nothing is the Northern Beaches area known as the Insular Peninsula...
........... apologies to any BE members up there
........... apologies to any BE members up there
Jan 26th 2007, 8:48 pm
#10
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
And to be honest in this particular part of town that can be fairly accurate...
Jan 26th 2007, 9:54 pm
#11
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Posts: 9,316
Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
A depressing read; sounds like middle-class Sydney has lost her soul (though we must remember that he's talking about well-heeled yuppies here, not the average Sydney punter).
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
I thought all Australians were lazy skivers who take regular sickies?
I thought all Australians were hopeless couch potatoes who suffer from chronic obesity?
I thought all Australians were so wrapped up in the "She'll be right" mentality that they never strive to excel, and can't be bothered to improve themselves?
I thought all Australians were scruffy slobs with no fashion sense, who never wear anything more formal than T-shirts, shorts and thongs?
On the flip side, it certainly raises some interesting questions about the negative stereotypes that keep appearing on this forum...
I thought all Australians were lazy skivers who take regular sickies?
I thought all Australians were hopeless couch potatoes who suffer from chronic obesity?
I thought all Australians were so wrapped up in the "She'll be right" mentality that they never strive to excel, and can't be bothered to improve themselves?
I thought all Australians were scruffy slobs with no fashion sense, who never wear anything more formal than T-shirts, shorts and thongs?
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
-- Anais Nin
With something as complex as a large city, it's easy for people to see what they want to see.
Jan 26th 2007, 10:15 pm
#12
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
All very true! Sydney has been getting worse since large amounts of "cashed-up" english immigrants have moved in. They have changed the feel of the place, for some reason the Sydney-siders feel they need to compete.
Who really cares what some "so called expert" from pommy land thinks of us though. It doesn't take a psychology degree to point out the problems we have here.
What I find sadder though is Melbourne's obsession with Sydney. You will always find articles dissing Sydney in their paper.
Who really cares what some "so called expert" from pommy land thinks of us though. It doesn't take a psychology degree to point out the problems we have here.
What I find sadder though is Melbourne's obsession with Sydney. You will always find articles dissing Sydney in their paper.
Last edited by MD09; Jan 26th 2007 at 10:18 pm.
Jan 26th 2007, 11:00 pm
#13
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
Considering that the average number of British immigrants each year to NSW varies between 2,500-4,500 and the total population of Sydney is over 4 million, I hardly think that they make much of a dent in the City's psyche!
Jan 26th 2007, 11:04 pm
#14
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
It does when many of them move to the same 3 areas- northern beaches, Bondi and Lower north shore.
Jan 26th 2007, 11:12 pm
#15
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Re: Interesting article - a 'Pom' expert's view of Sydney!
>> Time for one of my favourite quotes.
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
-- Anais Nin
With something as complex as a large city, it's easy for people to see what they want to see.<<
Snappy quote-lines are often correct but just as often are... just snappy quote-lines!
I spent several years in the UK telling anyone who would listen that we were going to Sydney and how wonderful it was, so I certainly didn't move there with an "anti" attitude. It didn't take long though for the Sydney "culture" to get to me and make me realise that it was NOT where I wanted to live, despite the undoubted attractions of the harbour.
"We don't see things as they are, we see them as we are."
-- Anais Nin
With something as complex as a large city, it's easy for people to see what they want to see.<<
Snappy quote-lines are often correct but just as often are... just snappy quote-lines!
I spent several years in the UK telling anyone who would listen that we were going to Sydney and how wonderful it was, so I certainly didn't move there with an "anti" attitude. It didn't take long though for the Sydney "culture" to get to me and make me realise that it was NOT where I wanted to live, despite the undoubted attractions of the harbour.