Australian values and culture???

[Clinton1]

A bloke at work asked me:
"As you are married to someone who was not raised in Australia, will you raise your children to have 'Australian values and an Australian culture' or your wife's culture and values".

I replied that I didn't really know what Australian values were and that I was stuffed if I knew what Australian culture was.... that most of what I think is important is not 'valued' by too many people, and what I see as 'Australian culture' is not practiced by too many people.

He couldn't really give me an example of Australian values and culture...

so, what's important to you?

[tameriska]

Stand by your word, Help someone if you can, treat others as you would like to be treated (or treat them as they treat you) Be there for your mates, and try to do the best that you can.
Thats what I try to do

[Gumby]

Sex on demand. (preferably with a female)

[craigb]

Sex on demand. (preferably with a female)

Too bad you're married then.

[Auld Bassoon]

Stand by your word, Help someone if you can, treat others as you would like to be treated (or treat them as they treat you) Be there for your mates, and try to do the best that you can.

Thats what I try to do

Spot on Tameriska!

I'd only add:

• Always be honest
• Listen and take account of other's opinions and sensitivities and/or tastes
• Respect people for their values & beliefs

Age old values really, and not much to do with any kind of nationalism, religion or political belief. Just simple human values.

[Toolin Around]

Sex on demand. (preferably with a female)

The "preferably" leaves that one wide open... so to speak

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Rule one - no pooftahs.
Rule two - no member of the faculty is to maltreat the local indigeonious tribesmen in any way whatsoever - if there's anybody watching.
Rule three - no pooftahs.
Rule four - I don't want to catch anyone not drinking in their room after lights out.
Rule five - no pooftahs.
Rule six - there is no rule six!
Rule seven - no pooftahs.

That concludes the reading of the rules, Bruce.

This here's the wattle - the emblem of our land. You can stick it in a bottle or you can hold it in your hand.

Amen!

[chrisb691]

Maaaaaate. I can't wait to see Dingo's input.

[Iain]

Andy me old Son, I was once accused of being homophobic, ny response was that I was not afraid of them, just didn't like them
And shouldn't it be 'Poofters'.
Sod it, who cares.............

[Wongo]

To my 2 half Chinese and half Australian daughters

Love your parents (Number 1 no doubt.)
Love each other
Love your family
Love your friends
Be honest
Work hard
Help others
Be grateful

Damn I am starting to talk like a religious bloke.

[pawnhead]

I can't take credit for this but I thought it was pretty cool and worth posting. Bit of a long read though

There may be better places in the world to visit, but i'll be buggered if i'd live anywhere else than here.

When I think of a 'typical Aussie' I get an image of a bronzed man or woman, who have Milo and Weet-Bix for breakfast, Vegemite for lunch, and a bbq and beer for tea. Tim-Tams are the national snack, beating the Poms at anything the national sport (although we're getting tired of that, time to move focus to the Yanks). It's getting in there and having a go. It's calling your best mate a total bastard, and your worst enemy a bit of a bastard. It's the Hills Hoist, the Holden Ute, Gum Trees and Simpson washing machines. It's dusty kids with big smiles. It's verandah's as large as the rest of the house.

It's Victa mowers cutting foot long grass that was only mowed two weeks ago. It's having a laugh with your mates. It's scones, sheep stations the size of European countries, and Tim-Tams. It's being girt by sea and by lunchtime. It's about being so lustful for international recognition we celebrate winning against the poms in Darts. It's about a Highway which kills more people each year than die by murder. It's taking a criminal and making him a hero. It's "no worries mate", "she'll be right mate", and "Waltzing Matilda" all rolled into one. It's shielas, blokes, wankers, pooftas, dancing queens, wowzers, Jumbucks, Jackaroos, Jillaroos, Walleroos, Kangaroos, Koalas and an animal that is so strange that when it was first discovered, people thought it was a joke.

It's women in unfeasably small bikinis putting coins into your parking meter while you're off getting . It's immigrants from the 50's saying they don't want any more immigrants. It's making a feature film about a bunch of traveling queers and calling it a national triumph. It's taking our greatest military defeat and turning it into the birth of a nation, while simultaneously ignoring Black Sunday against the Germans.

It's footy in the office, betting on the Finals, supporting your local team (even if half of them come from Melbourne) and code wars in the Pub. It's massive bronzed Aussie blokes with arms like powerpoles meeting you at Customs with a smile and a G'Day. It's calling out to the man on the boundry for thirty minutes to turn and wave, and when he does, give a cheer and start all over again. It's having 9 of the 10 most deadly land animals on the face of the planet in our backyards.

It's the population of New York occupying a country the size of Europe. It's about standing by your mate, no matter what stupid thing he's done now. It's about a tennis star who is called a brat with one breath, and a bloody legend the next. It's about flying over the centerpiece of our nation on the way to Bali or Malaysia. It's Melbourne and Sydney competing with each other as to who is the best city in the country, while the rest of us know they're both rubbish. It's our distrust of politicians and moral elitists. It's having the world record for the single largest mass shooting, which the Yanks can't seem to beat no matter how often they try.

It's surf lifesavers who are the envy of the world. It's meat pies with sauce, calling French Fries chips, and buying wine by the cask. It's hating the French, beating the English, and laughing at the Americans, who think 'World Series' means only two countries are allowed to participate. It's about arguing whether it's Cabanossi or Kabana. It's the Blue Heeler, the Kelpie, and the Tuckerbox. It's making cars so good that we export them to every Continent except Antartica.

It's inventing a sporting catch-cry in three seconds, while other teams supporters plan for months. It's chasing fish poachers halfway around the world just so we can confiscate their boat and sell their catch. It's cricket in the backyard, over-and-out, batter fetches, one-hand-one-bounce, electric wickets, and tipsy-runs. It's having some of the brightest coloured birds in the world, that you can't see in the trees no matter how hard you look. It's Magpies calling in the morning, Crows cawing in the afternoon, and Possums climbing in your window after dark.

It's getting a Kiddy Pool and suddenly finding your children have a lot of new friends. It's wearing thongs on your feet, not up your crack. It's walking into the shopping center bare-chested for the guys and shorts and bikini top for the girls, and no one gives you a second glance. It's budgie-smugglers on the beach, and tackle out at home. It's Hoop Snakes, Drop Bears, Electric Trees and Kapop Birds. It's leaning over the fence to have a yarn with the neighbours. It's playing a code of football so tough and without padding, overseas visitors think we're mad. It's not knowing for sure what half the words to the National Anthem are, but still singing what they _might be_ with pride. And it's a sports flag and team colours which have nothing to do with the national flag.

There. That just about covers it

[JDarvall]

John....I couldn't be bothered reading all that.

Honestys always good. You can breathe when your honest.

But then I suppose, you can be too honest...... which gets you into trouble too doesn't it....well, it gets me into trouble. Its too complicated.

As for Australian values... I agree,,,,how do you define such things.....Its a difficult concept to grasp and opinionated..... and even if you could define it.....why ?

Besides, I think these things come naturally. They don't need to be spoken about I reakon. Isn't it the defining of these things that initiates unrest between cultures anyway ?

[scooter]

Good post John


It's about a fair go for all, no matter what colour or creed.

[silentC]

Well, it's a good question. If you spent the 90's in Sydney working in the IT industry, then these are the values you would have attributed to most people:

1. Earn as much money as you can, it's the only thing that matters
2. Hock yourself up to the eyeballs to get a nice house in a 'nice' suburb
3. Buy a flash car
4. Have extra-marital sex at least once
5. Get to the top at the expense of as many others as you can
6. Screw loyalty and consideration for others

Fortunately, whilst I believe that a great majority of people in this country hold those views, there are still a lot of people around who haven't followed the rest of the place into the "me me me" mentality.

So if that's what we mean when we say 'Australian values', well I don't think they're any different to the values of people from any other country in the western world.

[Gra]

Well, it's a good question. If you spent the 90's in Sydney working in the IT industry, then these are the values you would have attributed to most people:

1. Earn as much money as you can, it's the only thing that matters
2. Hock yourself up to the eyeballs to get a nice house in a 'nice' suburb
3. Buy a flash car
4. Have extra-marital sex at least once
5. Get to the top at the expense of as many others as you can
6. Screw loyalty and consideration for others

Fortunately, whilst I believe that a great majority of people in this country hold those views, there are still a lot of people around who haven't followed the rest of the place into the "me me me" mentality.

So if that's what we mean when we say 'Australian values', well I don't think they're any different to the values of people from any other country in the western world.

Silent, you are confusing Sydent IT people with real people.....

Sound of a Melbourne Geek ducking...