camponotus

When I was a kid growing up in the UK I was led to believe that the Americans had a tendency, as a generalisation of course, to be instinctively, and at times blindly, patriotic. I am simply pointing out here that since living in Australia for the past 3 years I have discovered that, in my opinion, the Aussies are very much like that themselves. They are bought up to believe that they live in the best country there is.

I actually do not think there is anything fundamentally wrong with that; I do however feel that the Aussies can be a little arrogant about it, in the sense that part of the national pride seems to involve being rather dismissive about other countries.

I know several people over here (Aussies) who are actually very keen on the UK and would like to live there, at least for a while. They all report family members and close friends acting with shock and dismay at the idea. Not just because they would miss them if they lived abroad, but because of the 'why would you leave Australia?' thing that happens here. They are incredulous and gobsmacked. It may perhaps be a generational thing that is declining to some extent, but a significant percentage of Aussies are certain that anything that's remotely good here is unique to Australia and unmatched elsewhere in the world. I feel that they are particularly like that regarding the UK.

My own father-in-law says things to me like 'you just have to (insert normal everyday activity)....that's the way it works in this country', not realising at all that that is the exact same way that works in the UK! He's certain it's unique to Australia, as if something straightforward and easy could only be possible in Australia and that Australia must be way ahead in this respect!

It's hilarious!

camponotus

I accept that the Brits are not proud and patriotic enough (except in a crude, football-hooligan way at the World Cup), and that that makes one slightly pre-disposed towards finding the national pride of Australians a bit weird. But as I just said above, I think there's national pride and then there's being blinkered, inaccurate and ignorant, and I think the Aussies sometimes lean over into this camp.

coolerkingcooler

Agreed. I am sure we all know somebody who forwards a variety of emails with powerpoint slides with 50 pictures of cute dogs, how amazing life is and 1001 things to do with a piece of A4 paper (funny, they never say shove it up your a**e) and the occasional very funny joke. You can add in the "I am a child and very ill" or the "touched by an ange, pass it onto 10 people" and you will have good look which are all about clogging the networks etc.


Cooler

jad n rich

Travel is very expensive out of austraila, apart from the once in a life time overseas trip, holidays are usually a camping trip up the beach, its not going to make for the most worldy enlightended culture is it.

It can be annoying, you cringe at times at the telly, especially the 'news' or the aussie yob whos never been out of Wagga declaring "gods own country" when his most exciting life experience is a stubbie and a bbq sausage.

seayork2002

What I get annoyed (apart from "sensitive" people) is, being an Aussie living in the UK, on hearing my accent British people say "why would you want to live here not for the weather I take it" or "I would give anything to live in Australia". I get this alot and I would like to say to the British please be prouder of your own country. I am an Aussie living here so I must find something I like here otherwise I would be in Australia (which I will be doing soon - but that is another story!!!)

BadgeIsBack

There is no doubt that a majority of British people have a 'love affair' with Australia - and even if they have no plans to visit or live there - have pre-conceived notions of life there.

I put it down to good old Aussie shows. Bizarrely, if I had thought Australian life was like Neighbours I would never have wanted to live here!

I was watching the Tennis yesterday and saw some good old tabloid advertising and smirked appropriately. "Holden is tough .." Having said that, it is Australia Day weekend so you can make allowances. The thing to remember is that Australian TV is a tabloid medium in general much like the UK Sun newspaper is tabloid print.

There are other web and radio alternatives which I find easy to stick to. If people stray to tabloid radio then they will hear what they don't want to hear!

Geelong Gent

Got to admire desperate marketing ploys, which given the target audience are most likely very effective. The old battler mentality

BadgeIsBack

Based on some complaints from UK people about their lives in the UK - I do credit some Aussie 'battlers' and 'yobs' with exciting lives.

A mate of mine is proudly Australian working class, has his own business and by his own admission and my observation, does not do much work, his life is full of concerts, sport, coaching, water sports, biking, the pub, and since he worked less, overseas travel. Anyone anywhere in the world would be happy with that.

I also know non-Battler Australians who attach a lot of importance to camping and teach their kids good skills, self-reliance etc long before secondary, Uni and the Overseas trip kicks in. Often their kids end up spending their entire 20s in and out of Europe. Some stay "in", others "out".

knockoff nige

I moved from Ireland because of the attitude the Irish had towards the English (in general). Its very very similar to the tone of the OP's post. I respect England for having pride in their acheivements. But many Irish people seem to like to dismiss England winning a world cup (or qualifying for one) even though its so far out of our reach. England are proud of these things and are proud of the quality of their tv, radio, music, beer, sport and industry. Australians are proud of everything they see as great. However, there is less moaning about things over here. People want to be here. In UK/Ireland, people want to complain about the government/weather/tax and the current England manager (ie, any England manager) but will defend everything great about England when things such as the above emails get sent around. Australians seem to want to brag about the good things all the time. Thats a good thing.

Merseygirl

True and funny....especially the last bit

Luke I Amyofath

You can get a flight to london return for $1100 now............

ozzieeagle

Thats a really good example. I've been thinking about a response to this. Maybe because it's so close to Australia day I've come up with one thats complimentary to Australia.

The stereotypical example that you given may well have a point. Instinctively, he knows that if you if you were to compare Aus to any other country in the world, you would be really struggling to find a country where the people as a whole fare better than the majority here.

Whereas in the UK, a hell of a lot people think the opposite, wrongly of course, but thats the way it seems.

Australia is far from Utopia, it's hot, dry, dusty, flyridden, miles from bloody anywhere, xeonophobic, over governed, backwards in many areas. But hell it's hard to name a country that is definitely better.

Maybe Bogan from Wagga isn't so daft after all. The flannel ridden yob may have the wisdom of Solomon, albeit in complete ignorance.

moneypenny20

That's fine if you're going on your own and can save enough to do it and take a month off work, and find the rest of the money required for the holiday

I can honestly say that I have never heard a regular Aussie say anything about God's Own Country. I hear media being inordinately proud of the country - and why not? One thing other countries do not need to follow England's lead in is knocking the country.

Burbage

The only issue I have is that Australians are very resistant to suggestions that would make things better. They seem to have a mental block about accepting that there is anything that could be better somewhere else. Of course, they're entitled to believe what they want.

The British felt the same way during the Victorian era. But when you stop embracing new ideas, you start to stagnate, and then you start to rot.

BadgeIsBack

Ain't it..

I agree with that. I've met many 'country' people who have a wisdom of their own that stands on its own accord and a genuine pride - the same pride that I've heard spoken about London's Eastenders.

I thought Jad's comment funny, but overly stereotypical. I think that there are UK people with better access to travel opportunities who also have unexciting lives, so I think it is culturally relative.