The Americanisation of Australia

Interesting, but I suppose when you think about it Australians do remind me more of Americans then of Brits.

On first thought its that your close to the Brits, but on actually thinking about lifestyle etc...your actually far away from your European counter parts.

Take a look at your houses and buildings for example.
They are as American as can be. If you were to have a strong gust of wind/hurricane that ripped your houses apart like stateside, people would go "ooo, ahhh, what strong winds" not realizing that the house is made out of toothpics and gypsum/sheet rock. (Whereas in Europe you have brick everywhere - and Im not talking about face bricks - as well as having tile roofs... not the paper stuff.)

I would say this is the one thing that when I think of Australia reminds me automatically of America.

Anyway...

Peace

dAlen


p.s. - when I was looking at different countries in the world that had English as their native language, and considering which would be a cooler place to live, one thing I considered was the house.

After all you pay a lot of $$$ for a house, and its quite amazing you pay so much for something your hand or butt can easily put a hole through.

What I found is that America does have some alternative ways to build houses...but not the norm for sure and if you dont build yourself it will end up probably costing you an arm and a leg.

Australia I was disappointed to find out had the same kind of houses as stateside.

U.K., they seem to have a mix of stuff.

Here on mainland Europe, at least where Im at, the walls are over a foot thick brick.
As an alternative choice to brick we also have the eco houses/cobb as well as ACC/Ytong (looks like concrete blocks, but light like foam kind of and chips easily.)

The only country with a good European type house that speaks English is Malta.

Anyway...interestingly enough the American type house are coming to Hungary.
Funny thing is its the same price if not a bit more expensive then building with bricks...go figure. (I know the wood.)

But imagine trying to build out of bricks stateside, it would cost an arm and a leg.
Again, people Im not talking about face bricks...Im talking walls over a foot thick.
(Save on your heating and cooling bills) You would think you would get the same price as Europe...err, no, it wouldnt be good for the industry....which ever one it is that wants to keep high prices on stick houses making them the same price (if not more expensive) than their stronger European counter parts.

By the way, the Brick houses would solve the problems with hurricanes stateside.
But they dont want the problem to be solved, they want your house destroyed while you have to pay high insurance premiums.

Dont know how the American style houses hold up in Australia...dont believe you guys really get hurricanes...and not sure about tornadoes...
But the fact that you dont have the choice to have a strong house out of brick (again emphasis is on the structure, not on face brikcs) for the same price as in Europe is a shame. (I say same as in Europe to show the prices for you are skewed, making something way more expensive then it has to be, as well as lower quality.)

[edit on 28-5-2008 by dAlen]

Here is a twist?

I am Uk born and now an Australian citizen, I am more patriotic to Australia than my mother country.

reply to post by Bob Down Under

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I don't know if I could make it there. Seems like there are too many ways to die.

The first time I saw one of the poisonous snakes there would be the last time I stepped foot in that country (that goes for a lot of countries/states).

[edit on 28-5-2008 by Sublime620]

Perhaps this really isn't Americanisation at all. Perhaps we really should be calling it rampant Capitalisation. After all, this brain-dead goods culture is being shoved down the throats of Americans as well. From the foods that are killing us to the television programming that leaves us too stupid to realize it. We are being programmed to consume, to buy, to spend, even if we sacrifice our very lives in the process.

This thing that we are seeing spread its tentacles across the globe is seen as Americanism, simply because the host has been overcome by this parasite. Zombie nation.

EDIT to add:

Zombie Nation (Hitler clip)

YouTube Link

Kernkraft 400 - Zombie Nation

YouTube Link

[edit on 5/28/0808 by jackinthebox]

[edit on 5/28/0808 by jackinthebox]

Agreed - and don't get me wrong - I don't hate Americans either. (In fact I have defended the American people in many conversations with people from many arab countries - but I do point out the govt does things the people aren't told about).

It is hard to disagree with you on your comment that everyone WANTS to be American - but I think you really mean - everyone WANTS western goodies - ie hot/cold running water; electricity; plenty of food; law and order; electrical goodies - from TV to toasters; and a roof that doesn't leak etc. (Bit like Brian and, what have the Romans ever done for us ...?)

I visited Libya in the mid-1980s (don't ask, its a long story) and noticed that despite Gaddafi's best efforts to maintain an arabic culture (note I didn't say Muslim) - the kids growing up in Tripoli (who could access western TV) all wanted to wear levi jeans, drink coca cola; use fluoride toothpaste; watch Hollywood movies and listen to Madonna etc.

Ditto when I visited Kathmandu - it was the same, none of the kids growing up wanted to maintain their own culture - which they saw as primitive by comparison to their perception of the west.

Ditto in Lhasa, and many other places these days.

People without food, water, electricity etc actually WANT western assimilation - the whole package. And can you blame them?

Then, for those of us who have this package, we look nostalgically at other cultures and use them to appreciate cultural diversity.

peace

Duncan

[edit on 28-5-2008 by Bob Down Under]

[edit on 28-5-2008 by Bob Down Under]

reply to post by jackinthebox

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I loved the Ramstien video clip, GOOD ONE!

I was born in the UK, emigrated when I was 4. Feel more loyal to here than the UK, but still feel quite at home in the UK.

As for snakes, here where I live in se Qld, on any sunny day - I can find a red bellied black snake within 20 yards of my front door. In the summer time, there is one every 50 yards along my creek. Luckily they are not aggressive.

Duncan

If I can just take this opportunity to say this is not meant to be anti US but pro Aust. I am glad people see this like I do.

We need to reclaim ourselves! And ATS is as good a place as any. There are enough of us here now. Lets see some more Australian based treads.

Come on Aussie come on!!

Edit: I forgot to say. I cannoy speak for other countries as others have mentioned. Only what I can see from here.

[edit on 28/5/2008 by VIKINGANT]

Sorry, mate, have to disagree with you on that. I wouldnt want to live in America if they gave me two-million dollar -or ten million for that matter-.
It seems to me that your so great nation has brainwashed you into nationalism.
You all can proclaim you are the freeest nation and all, but just shouting it doesnt make it true.
And basically, the nation is not yours; it was stolen from the natives, so it is built upon slavery and genocide; the colored and black people are still the poor class and politically and economically it is bankrupt.
The national debt to the world is 10 trillion, so where did you say the greatness was? I seem to not really see it. Is it in the constant warmongering and intrigues? Is it in the destruction of nature? In the averagization of everything? In the crappy music and entertainment industry?
please, think before you speak, because to just echo a forced opinion is stupid.

I'm from the states myself. One thought that's striking me. Perhaps it's not so much of a "Americanization" process but more of a global melting pot. Several cultures merging as borders have less and less meaning. I've been seeing more and more australian culture appearing in the states. The Movie "Australia" for example (showing in the theaters soon).

reply to post by Deson

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There is 30 million Australians and 300 million Americans has anyone ever wondered why this is? The population of Australia has been controled by "American Interests" since the second world war. Where do you think they are all going to go when the northern hemisphere is nuked or natural disasters continue to esculate. The mass crust between Antartica and Australia is the thickest on the planet. Even the most likely to hit asteroid is aiming at the northern hemi in 2029.
If Australia continues to play with China out of bounds we will find those in charge will again have control instigated like it has done in the past. Yes the governor general can sack the government.

I traveled most of the world and it opened my eyes at a young age. It disturbed me in the late 80's that the Japanese so wanted to be like us. When I would go there, you could ride the trains and they were not covered in graffiti, there were actual little kids riding without a parent. But as time wore on I saw major changes and I kinda felt like they were selling out on the actual culture that is 1000's of years old, to be like us. Don't get me wrong Japan has problems but everyone does, but if they think emulating American standards will fix anything they are wrong. Americans are CONsumers we are the top of the chain in consumption and we want everyone else to be the same. How else do we grow our businesses once we have saturated our market? We force our way into yours, and CONvince you, you have to have anything and everything or you are a looser and not a good CONsumer. Our Gov gives us money to buy things. Remember when you were a kid and you asked your parents "what if everything was free" well in the US it is we just keep printing money and buying things. We complain about the cost of gas but drive a Hummer that gets 8 mpg. Be a good CONsumer and on 4th of july spend money at all the sales, Christmas now starts before Thanksgiving. Everything here is about shopping and spending money. Maybe in Australia they will start saying its is the Australian dream to own a home. It is also great to hear that you are adopting our shopping holidays. You guys could celebrate/shop on the day that you kicked the # out of the aborigines. I was in Darwin when your country apologized for treating them bad. Maybe someday your country will let them run casinos on the land they gave them. Then they could get in the CONsumer mix and buy things.

But seriously to the OP don't feel bad that no one knows your history or much about your country most Americans don't know much about there own country. More people will vote for American Idol than the president. In the last 2 weeks I have had conversations with people about who is running for pres and I think Ron Paul would have made real changes, anyway they did not even know who he was, I mean at all. And he is running for President. Most young girls know the name of Paris Hiltons dog. Yeah copy us we are the greatest CON going.

reply to post by dervishmadwhirler

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Your opinion is your opinion. Just know that many of the perks you enjoy now are due to the terrible nation that you wouldn't even step foot in. We aren't so bad.

Like I said though, we do need a bump in the right direction every now and then, and I appreciate dissenting views like yours.

Nothing is wrong with america.
You having such nationalism is ridiculous.

Im glad you used the S instead of the Z for those words



Well, they didn't make Aborigine costumes, and the years of seperation between the US and AUS would mean that to play Bushrangers and Aborigines would have caused us to either play it while we still did not even recognise Aborigines as citizens, OR conversely in a time when we were giving them the vote, etc.

Kinda doesn't work.

And I didn't play it anyway, I had an Armatron !



Id prefer out for a golden duck on the first ball, myself.



Maybe the new kids, but I knew more about Ned Kelly than any western cowboys, such was life - and I think today most adults know more about Ned than Billy.



Yeah but who in their right mind would watch those shows even in Australia?!



Because having dot tattoos and waugles would, honestly, look pretty crappy.



Thats how ally's do things, isn't it?



America owns fosters, yet WE export it to them. Nuff said.



We did in 2004.



Kinda...



Can't argue with you there. At least it's still better than marmite.



I don't think that's quite accurate. Maybe it's just me and everyone I know, but if I ask who the first PM was, we all knew it was Edmund.

Again, maybe it's the lackadaisical Australian youth of today.. I can't say I've asked too many.



No, if anything, we're letting a plethora of typically Australian traits dissapear blindly. But that is another tale for another time...



OI OI OI .

But Mel was born in the US and Russel is a Kiwi.



Damn, hit reply before realising a 1 liner..

Crowe was born in Wellington, NZ

Gibson was born in Peekskill, New York.

*Bet I made a double post now too*


[edit on 28-5-2008 by bloodcircle]

double post ;/


[edit on 28-5-2008 by bloodcircle]

reply to post by bloodcircle

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Not to mention, they are employed in America.

No worries, mates!

If the process had moved along as far as the lot of you seem to fear, the title of this post would have been "The Americanization of Australia - with a "z" instead of an "s".



You could all do a lot worse ...