Heard during a discussion re religion on ABC AM 702 – 28/06/06:

Caller says:
A friend of mine had a daughter by a black American.
She became involved in an Aboriginal-dreaming group because she needed to know how to bring the daughter up ‘according to her culture.’
[Apparently, all “black’ peoples share the same culture]

Culture is actually about self-awareness, not about other people.

We "identify" with a culture when we recognize in it aspects of ourselves of which we, generally speaking, approve. This is why "Aussie culture" can mean different things to different people. The cockie in an outback pub will isolate a particular set of characteristics with which to identify - sons-of-the-earth, mateship, no-bludgers-here - while the chardonnay-sipping culture vulture in Melbourne will corner the market in more effete epithets about Australians being "original, colourful, fresh, young" and so on.

This is why there is such a broad spectrum of views of the "culture" of other countries. Again, it is guided more by our own point of view than any abstract notions - Americans are either brash or outgoing, Poms are either a nation of soccer hooligans or a bunch of stuck-up toffs etc. etc.

A line from the first Bridget Jones Diary movie sticks in my mind, where Bridget's mother muses "The Japanese. A cruel race", with the impact or import of this soundbite completely escaping her. It said far more about her character than it said about the Japanese. Which is, of course, the whole point of it being in the script in the first place.

o sung wu:
You said 'I accept that there's many many good people out there. Regrettably, I've not had the privilege of meeting many of them.'

Do you think this might be because you've spent a disproportionate amount of time dealing with the 'not so good' people over the years (ie. through your work with the police and correctional services)? My guess is that it could get a man down after a while, perhaps it could even cause a man to only start seeing the worst side of everything. However another guess of mine is that the sun still sheds a spectrum of colours across the sky every dawn and evening.

Pericles:
You said 'So we simply doodle around the edges, poking in our two cents worth, and taking the opportunity to insult people who we dislike in a manner that we wouldn't dare to their face. Great fun.'

Since you have chosen the title 'Pericles', allow me to play Zeno for a moment.
Presumably when you say 'our' and 'we' you meant 'my' and 'I'. I get no pleasure from insulting people. I would say that more significant is that in this anonymous written medium, mannerisms, tone and inflexions, etc. are lost. So the reader's mood and perspective has a much greater influence on what is written, than in spoken dialogue. So, statements are often misconstrued here, quite understandably. That sometimes leads to storms in teacups. Anyway, whatever, it may be sport for you ('Debating') but I am actually interested in the topics.

Horus:
It really amazes me how many mythological characters and deceased Greek heroes and leaders have materialised to participate in this forum. I feel privileged :D Anyway, that's a pretty bizarre story, although not totally surprising. You may have noticed many Aboriginal kids identifying strongly with black American 'gang culture'.

For everyone:
Here's a website you may or may not have seen, entitled 'Convict Creations' - all about 'Australian Culture'. Contains lots of interesting information and (often witty) articles:

About Australian Culture: http://www.convictcreations.com/culture/index.htm

@Ev,

Black American 'gang culture'. I thought the African-American Gullah folks ,of South Carolina were seen in the African-American community as one of the best aspect of African-American culture? Or even slavery,maybe I don't know.

http://www.cr.nps.gov/goldcres/cultural/africahome.html

http://www.sweetblackberry.com/aboutus.html

Amel,

I did not mean that Afro-American culture = gang culture, that`s for sure. However for me it seems a little surreal when I see Aboriginal kids walking around in an Australian outback town wearing Chicago Bulls gear, Nike, etc. and `colours` and listening to Ice Cube, etc. I would have thought they have more in common with Native Americans, but I guess Native Americans aren`t so `high-profile` (less exposure in popular media, etc.)..

Dear Ev
get ur plates of meat over here and become my trouble and strife ..don't worry girl, I play a straight bat... ere.. have a butchers hook at my credentials.
But don't want you to be my ball and chain, no way, now.. lets hit the frog and toad together and if anyone gives us a hard time, we'll give em the big A. Well trot off till we're passed the black stump and set up our humpy. We only want dinky dye cobbers, not the type of drongo to have a barney.

Hehe.. I read that site.. quite good.

And you highlighted some very important points.

Pericles, true what you said, about the culture existing in the mind of individuals, but it goes further. After a time of exposure to a particular environment, pressures, ethnic and linguistic flavor, there will still emerge a 'prevailing/predominant' cultural texture.

And to me that is precious, and worth preserving. After all, it is our reference point for self understanding. To undermine that, is tantamount to undermining a nation.