The Forum > General Discussion > Selfish
Selfish
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Welcome, and Thank You for raising
this topic. Of course we can change
if we want to. All we need do is apire to social
cohesion and respect for each other and ourselves
as Australians, and as human beings.
Since European settlement, and even long before
that, Australia has been host to diverse cultures.
It has never been and cannot now be considered
monocultural, regardless of the overwhelming
political, economic, and social dominance of
white Australians. The expectation that we should
all be some kind of "same" is not only impossible,
but it also lacks integrity.
Multiculturalism regardless how some "selfish" people
view it (who see life only through their own narrow
lens and want everyone to be "people like us."), is
not about being reactionary or anti-white. It is
about - aspiring to social
cohesion and respect for each other and ourselves
as Australians and as human beings.
We have to admit that social and political inequalities
feed separateness, and can lead to intolerance, racism,
and reactionary violence. That is the kind of self-centred
selfishness, that is damaging for us all.
It is precisely these kind of fears that the politicians
play on - especially by making asylum seekers - an
election issue.
As Germaine Greer said:
"Australian racism derives from the same bottomless
source as British racism, from universal ignorance,
working-class frustration, reinforced by an
unshakeable conviction of British superiority over
all other nations on earth, especially the swarthy ones!"
It is possible, and desirable, to speak - and even argue -
across social, religious, and cultural borders. The above
is not remotely a call for moral relativism. But it
requires a level of knowledge that a large proportion of
those engaged in the conversation are either too
arrogant or lazy to obtain. It requires people looking
at each other to see more that superficial appearances.
We need to look deeper. We live in an age where
ignorance is the prevailing influence of our times.
Whether this can be cured will depend as author, Waleed
Aly points out in his book - on "people like us".