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You're judging another culture through an American-cultural filter.
What you are referring to is the opposite of the 'one-drop rule-. In the US, even a drop of black blood makes you black. Look at Obama - the country's first 'black' president. He is, however, as much black as he is white.
This rule doesnt apply in latin America. He would be "mulatto" (mixed) and rightly so. However, Americans think this means denying blackness because it doesn't fit in with their definition of race.
I think you mean I'm judging my own culture through my own filter I'm from Latin America. I know for a fact that everyone that is darker than slightly tanned tries to make themselves out to be whiter than they actually are, and in countries like Chile and Argentina white people with brown hair and brown eyes are less desirable than blonds with green/blue eyes. Whenever I watch TV produced in Mexico, Venezuela, or Puerto Rico, the vast majority, if not all the TV personalities have white skin with light brown hair, eyes, or different colors. The Mexican novelas are dominated by the same kind of people and the middle class and upper class in Latin American society are disproportionately white while the poor are black or indigenous.
I think in Australia it's very much a hand-me-down from the reserved British temperament thing.
Australians CAN be friendly, welcoming and even warm - but don't expect overt displays of it. It's a bit more subtle than that, but it is there.
I think what disappoints me about our cultural personality(48 year old bloke from Perth) is its apparent abhorrence for anyone who's even a little bit eccentric, or wants to celebrate personal success. The Tall Poppy thing is an Australian constant in that you mustn't be seen to stand out in any way or "you're up yourself". I think too we have lost something of the Aussie larrikin spirit as urban PC attitudes nudge-out a certain original Aussie-ness.
I think what disappoints me about our cultural personality(48 year old bloke from Perth) is its apparent abhorrence for anyone who's even a little bit eccentric, or wants to celebrate personal success. The Tall Poppy thing is an Australian constant in that you mustn't be seen to stand out in any way or "you're up yourself". I think too we have lost something of the Aussie larrikin spirit as urban PC attitudes nudge-out a certain original Aussie-ness.
I agree withe the eccentric bit, but I think we do differentiate between those who simply have inflated opinions of themselves, and those who can appreciate what they've been able to achieve with hard work, luck, and working with others. In the latter category I'd put people like the late Fred Hollows or "better" sporting figures.
I think it actually goes back to the early settler days, when you needed to be able to rely on level headed and cooperative people to survive. Colourful eccentrics and self centred prima donnas were't much help to anyone.
Last edited by Richard1098; 10-02-2013 at 02:27 PM..
I agree withe the eccentric bit, but I think we do differentiate between those who simply have inflated opinions of themselves, and those who can appreciate what they've been able to achieve with hard work, luck, and working with others. In the latter category I'd put people like the late Fred Hollows or "better" sporting figures.
I think it actually goes back to the early settler days, when you needed to be able to rely on level headed and cooperative people to survive. Colourful eccentrics and self centred prima donnas were't much help to anyone.
I agree we do have tall poppy syndrome but isn't that the case in most places?
I agree we do have tall poppy syndrome but isn't that the case in most places?
You're probably right. I suspect the only real difference is where different cultures draw the line between what's healthy and what's not, and how they express their disapproval of those who do values themselves too highly.
I lived in a town of around 24,000 in NSW and I found people superficially friendly but essentially very very cliquey. The town was predominantly Italian and catholic. Almost every single woman just wanted to find a husband, settle down and have kids. Free spirits were looked upon with suspicion and outsiders were not overly welcome.
In contrast I now live in Vermont and I have found people here far more open and welcoming to strangers and way more liberal. There is a lot more tolerance for difference here.
Sounds like Griffith.
It is sometimes hard when one links quite a few different traits together, eg the OP has said:
"laid back, larkin, and free spririted" or "overregulated close minded, and conformist?"
First of all, it would help to know what the OP's definition of free-spiritedness is. To me, a lot of people who proclaim themselves to be "free-spirited" are actually quite conformist (i.e. they are trying so hard to be different that they actually end up being the same as others) - to me true free-spiritedness is someone who is themselves. I quite like Wikihow's definition of freespiritedness:
Perhaps it is just the field I work in (medical) and where I live (not in a city) but most people I know are quite laidback and easy going. I'm pretty laidback, I wouldn't consider myself a larrikin (though some might say I'm a bit eccentric lol) and I don't try to be anyone but who I am.
In regards to country towns, I suppose each town is different and the town's overall "personality" may well have been developed back at the time they were settled.
Last edited by susankate; 10-03-2013 at 04:02 AM..
It is sometimes hard when one links quite a few different traits together, eg the OP has said:
"laid back, larkin, and free spririted" or "overregulated close minded, and conformist?"
First of all, it would help to know what the OP's definition of free-spiritedness is. To me, a lot of people who proclaim themselves to be "free-spiritedness" are actually quite conformist (i.e. they are trying so hard to be different that they actually end up being the same as others) - to me true free-spiritedness is someone who is themselves. I quite like Wikihow's definition of freespiritedness:
Perhaps it is just the field I work in (medical) and where I live (not in a city) but most people I know are quite laidback and easy going. I'm pretty laidback, I wouldn't consider myself a larrikin (though some might say I'm a bit eccentric lol) and I don't try to be anyone but who I am.
In regards to country towns, I suppose each town is different and the town's overall "personality" may well have been developed back at the time they were settled.
Exactly, like the stereotype of all those 'alternative' girls with pink hair. There's an 'alternative mainstream' as well. Not following the crowd, just your own whims, is free-spiritedness. I'd say my love for 1930s swing is more free-spirited than someone liking indie pop.
Yeah - I take your point that we might well have been in more trouble than the early settlers if our 18th/19th century pioneering folk were all colourful prima donnas, but that's not quite the point I was driving at. I was largely speaking to my perception that as much as I love my country and all its achievements, it can - to me at least - feel like a very personally and emotionally stifling culture to live in. That's all.
Yeah - I take your point that we might well have been in more trouble than the early settlers if our 18th/19th century pioneering folk were all colourful prima donnas, but that's not quite the point I was driving at. I was largely speaking to my perception that as much as I love my country and all its achievements, it can - to me at least - feel like a very personally and emotionally stifling culture to live in. That's all.
Especially Perth. Perth is like a suburban bubble in the middle of (speaking of population) nowhere. The suburbs of Perth can be a soul-sapping environment, life revolves around going to the beach, mindlessly getting drunk at pubs and clubs, very domestic goals of buying a house, getting married, having kids.etc. Which is fine, but there just seems less room for those who want something more. Which is why I moved to Melbourne, and I was just sick of the familiarity of the place.
There are a fair few Aussies living in the Atlanta area, and you'll meet lots of them at the Australian Bakery in Marietta (NW suburb). The place sells Aussie meat pies, sausage rolls, pastries, and a small selection of grocery items from Down Under. It's not far from my home, so my wife and I go there a good bit, and every Aussie I've met there (including the owners, Mark & Neville), are friendly and personable. I suppose it's possible that they'd be more reserved if I'd met them on their home turf -- perhaps they're more outgoing because they're among Americans -- but from what I've seen in the States, Aussies are nice folk and fun to be around. Maybe the grim, quiet ones stay at home and only the outgoing, fun sorts come here to the States?
Side note: when I was stationed in Hawaii, there was an exchange program with the Australian Army. Certain units would swap out a man with the other nation's military for six weeks, and my unit was one of those participating. A friend of mine was chosen to be swapped one year, and upon his return he was quite emphatic in his assessment of the drinking proclivities and capacity of the average Australian soldier. Apparently, the night he arrived, he was invited out by the men of the unit to which he was assigned. He tried to beg off, citing jet lag and the long trip, but gave in when asked "what kind of bleedin' Yank ARE you that you don't get pi**ed?"
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I'm from Latin America. I know for a fact that everyone that is darker than slightly tanned tries to make themselves out to be whiter than they actually are, and in countries like Chile and Argentina white people with brown hair and brown eyes are less desirable than blonds with green/blue eyes. Whenever I watch TV produced in Mexico, Venezuela, or Puerto Rico, the vast majority, if not all the TV personalities have white skin with light brown hair, eyes, or different colors. The Mexican novelas are dominated by the same kind of people and the middle class and upper class in Latin American society are disproportionately white while the poor are black or indigenous.
