First and foremost, I’m an Australian. I’m proud to be an Australian. I was born in this country, I have lived my entire life in this country and my parents are proud, patriotic – and yes, legal – Australian citizens.
Despite the 40 degree Summers, vicious native wild life both inland and in our oceans, unfairness within our welfare system that deprives university students from funding while lazy drop-outs can live job-free for decades at a time with a seemingly endless supply of ciggies and cheap big-screen plasmas, and our severe lack of amusement parks, we’re a pretty awesome, lucky country and a lot of people fail to appreciate that. But there is one day of the year where I cringe at proclaiming myself an Australian citizen and that day is Australia Day.
Despite the 40 degree Summers, vicious native wild life both inland and in our oceans, unfairness within our welfare system that deprives university students from funding while lazy drop-outs can live job-free for decades at a time with a seemingly endless supply of ciggies and cheap big-screen plasmas, and our severe lack of amusement parks, we’re a pretty awesome, lucky country and a lot of people fail to appreciate that. But there is one day of the year where I cringe at proclaiming myself an Australian citizen and that day is Australia Day.
And this is why.
For some reason, even the most intelligent Australians - from the most high-ranking honour students and the most reasonable business men and women to the gingivitis-prone red-necks that always have to inflict some sort of ungodly, inhuman stench upon every passer-by and ask for a ciggie - see January 26th as an excuse to revert back to primitive (pronounced: ‘bogan’) behaviour.
Unfortunately when it comes to Australia Day, there seems to be an unhealthy correlation between displays of the Australian flag and foul behaviour. We’ve all witnessed it at some stage: Young girls with terrible, leather-like tans and a morbid obsession with frangipani stickers wearing the skimpiest of Australian flag bikinis and transparent 'Aussie pride' crop-tops from Supre, only to sun-bathe on the beach for fear of actually entering the water and try to shamelessly pick up with their busts rather than their brains. Boys claiming to be men who can’t control their liquor guzzling six packs at a time while desecrating the Australian flag by wearing it as a cape, with very little else to hide whatever shred of modesty they claim to have. For some reason, people are actually proud to call themselves Shazza or Wozza.
And then there are the shameless arguments, racial slurs and derogatory comments fuelled by excessive drinking and poor judgement in the hot sun on the what, why and who of ‘a real Australian’. Even in a recent study, it was found that people who attach Australian flags to their cars express more negative and racist attitudes than those who did not.
Unfortunately when it comes to Australia Day, there seems to be an unhealthy correlation between displays of the Australian flag and foul behaviour. We’ve all witnessed it at some stage: Young girls with terrible, leather-like tans and a morbid obsession with frangipani stickers wearing the skimpiest of Australian flag bikinis and transparent 'Aussie pride' crop-tops from Supre, only to sun-bathe on the beach for fear of actually entering the water and try to shamelessly pick up with their busts rather than their brains. Boys claiming to be men who can’t control their liquor guzzling six packs at a time while desecrating the Australian flag by wearing it as a cape, with very little else to hide whatever shred of modesty they claim to have. For some reason, people are actually proud to call themselves Shazza or Wozza.
And then there are the shameless arguments, racial slurs and derogatory comments fuelled by excessive drinking and poor judgement in the hot sun on the what, why and who of ‘a real Australian’. Even in a recent study, it was found that people who attach Australian flags to their cars express more negative and racist attitudes than those who did not.
With these kind of behaviours being so publically displayed and accepted, it seems like we’re falsely lead to believe that patriotism and Australian pride coincide with falling into the lazy, crude and bogan nature of the negative Australian stereotype.
Sales like the Cheap as Chips catalogue excerpt below don't exactly help our cause either:
Probably the most alarming item of bogan-abilia to rival the giant inflatable finger and Australian flag umbrella hat is the 'Aussie Supporter Cape'. For those of you lucky enough to have never encountered any knowledge of this item, according to Cheap as Chips an Aussie Supporter Cape is apparently what happens when the Australian flag is bastardised with a snuggie.
Crossing the terrible concept of using the flag as a cape with wearing a bathrobe backwards? Evidently, two wrongs make a profit.
And then there are shameless advertising campaigns like this:
All well and good as a joke, but that's what this campaign is: a joke. Not only is it annoying, but it makes us look like a bunch of air-head bogans and I for one do not want to be associated with something so negatively stereotypical.
Australia may be stereotyped as laid-back and lazy, but we've contributed a lot to the modern world. We have some brilliant minds, concepts and ideals. An Australian introduced the concept of the secret ballot system that is now used by the USA and United Kingdom. Our doctors are so renowned that people, seemingly without hope of recovery, come to Australia from all over the world for life-saving surgeries. Australian dishes beamed live footage of man’s first steps on the moon to the rest of the world. Australians produced the first refrigerator and the first basic notepad.
Australia has produced some brilliant scientists, surgeons, artists and inventors. So why is it that we're lead to believe the absolute ideal of what a true Aussie is revolves around being some sporting meat-head? Isn't the true Australian spirit based on hard work, freedom of expression and the embracing of converging cultures, not the primitive concept of how far you can throw something? Isn't being a true Australian being a good bloke, a loyal friend and a fair person rather than how hard you can tackle in short shorts for a ridiculous paycheck? And seriously, who would you rather represent your country, famed neurosurgeon Charles Teo or renowned wanker Wawrick Capper?
As a proud Australian, I will not be draping the flag over my shoulders in a drunken stupor like the satirical bogan I'm told a true Australian has to be. And I will not be eating lamb on Australia Day purely out of protest for that stupid Barbie Girl song parody; Kekovich can go suck it. At least I'm not being paid generous amounts of Australian dollars by the MLA to regurgitate what people tell me being a true Australian is.
Want to do something truly Australian for Australia Day?
Buy your friends a beer. Share some kangaroo steaks. Above all, don't be a dick.
Let's prove to ourselves and the world that we're more than just some bogan stereotype.
While I'm not really against people wearing the Australian flag to a degree, I agree that alot of people take it too far. The worst part though is when people are wearing Australia flag merchandise when most of it is made overseas lol.
ReplyDeleteI do agree to the point that people tend to confuse being Australian with being a bogan which is pretty sad and not really Australian at all. It's funny how a lot of things considered to be Australian really aren't at all, Barbeques are had all around the world, it's no different to in America, just its called a cookout over there and getting ridiculously drunk? where isn't that considered a National stereotype. While the commercial has a sickeningly bogan/plastic theme to it, at least their having a bit of a laugh about it, I just really dislike the manner in which it is pushing people. Interesting read sunny, look forward to more.