Australian values and culture???

[sea dragon]

I am increasingly of the view that we are no longer one country, in terms of values.
As a predominant city dweller, I always had enormous respect for the implicit values of country people. I do not mean their slower pace of life that is reflected in so many aspects of their approach to life. Rather, it is the lesser proportion of people focusing on more selfish values, relative to the fast-times city slickers.
At rugby tests, John Williamson has been a singer of Waltzing Matilda. I rather like it and see a further benefit of him managing to get one of the best seats in the house. I have been amazed at the antipathy his song arouses in my adult son.
Am I in a nostalgic time warp and he is in the here and now?
Is there an ever greater difficulty in having a national identity as we are burdened by international film and TV influences?
I used to think we would always get around problems and endorse a certain iconic larrikanism. The plight of David Hicks and the very approach of jingoism to be associated with anti-terrorism frightens the heck out of me. Where is the old approach of not necessarily agreeing with what someone may say or do, but respecting and preserving his right to say or do?
I think we need to live in a skewed past, relying on our perceptions of some idylllic era to be viewed through rose-coloured glasses. Reality can be too confronting and too cruel, accepting that it takes time to be universally accurate.
Clinton, you have raised an absolutely fascinating and timely issue.
One plus is a reductionof predjudices by many, but unfortunately not all of our population. The One Nation was a salutory reminder of a xenophobic past and a failure to reject theerrors of the White Australia Policy.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

I think we need to live in a skewed past, relying on our perceptions of some idylllic era to be viewed through rose-coloured glasses.

I trust you're not casting aspersions in my direction with that? :eek: Rosé is a chaps drink and I want it on the record that my glasses are amber coloured. Well... when they're full anyway. Errrm... and when I haven't run out. But any change of colour is covered under the Code of Practice! No brollies here, I swear! (Do straws count?)

Apart from that, as I am living in a skewed past (and present and future) I'll drink to those sentiments! [hic]