We've recently had discussions on China,
Chinese influence in Australia and what should
be done about it.

I thought it might be interesting to have a
discussion on what is the future of
Australianness?

What defines Australia. What creates it, represents it,
and makes it what it is?

Your thoughts please

Unfortunately the future of Australia is division leading to weakness

left versus right
globalist versus nationalist
alarmism versus rationalism
morality versus perversion
corruption in politics at all time high
those on public purse now pitted against those making an honest living

family members dobbing in family members for lying on the beach
kids dobbing in parents for not agreeing with groupthink
experts like Greta listened to while real experts defunded (Peter Ridd)

as families self destruct so does the nation. Very well helped along by our national broadcasters.

Meanwhile totalitarian regimes like China, Russia and Islamic nations wait for us to collapse

Australianess has to be a dynamic cultural process, as it has always been.

While i won't say there are no concerns with some aspects of immigrant behaviour, Australia has constantly evolved to reflect its dynamic culture inspired by many diffeent peoples.

For example, when i was young, soccer was referred to wog ball, now it is embraced.

And our cullinary habits have moved far from the occasional Chinese shop outing on a weekend.

All Australia needs is a commitment to the rule of law, with no cultural exceptions to the rule of law, and the rest will take care of itself.

Foxy,

I would argue there is no such thing as Australianness in contemporary society. (I bet you knew that was coming from Mr Opinion!)

The reason I say that is because we are no longer a nation-state. We especially do not have a shared common language and a shared common history that mark us off as a common community with shared beliefs and ideologies.

Most of our population live in the big cities especially Sydney and Melbourne together having over a third of the national population. The cities define what Australia is and at the moment a social survey based on them will show that Australia is a congeries of disparate social groups clustered together, with each group defining its own social and cultural practises as well as separate histories and languages vis-à-vis the other social groups.

It is only the politicians, bureaucrats and business people who push the idea of an Australian oneness because it suits their purposes. For everyone else daily life is fixed within the bounds of ethnicity, race and language, where one's territory is the ancestral homeland and the neighbour on your left speaks Chinese and the neighbour on your right Turkish.

I have even started to refer to myself as British Australian in order that others do not mistake me for Chinese Australian, Indian Australia, Italian Australian, Sudanese Australian, etc.etc. I would never be so foolish as to refer to myself as Australian Australian because no such ethnic group exists, simply because there is no Australianness.

runner,

You certainly paint a rather bleak outlook.

I'm more optimistic.

Australians don't give up so easily.

Take a look at our history from our free settlers,
battling oppression and the harsh Australian environment
conditions. Working together as "mates"to survive. To
the Eureka Stockade and gold diggers rebelling against
unfair taxes.

As well as our ANZACS, bushmen turned soldiers who
courageously fought against the odds to protect our
freedom.

History tells us - they fought with little regard for
British army ranks and their regimented hierarchies, but with
unlimited dedication to their fellow men. And there's
many such examples.

There are a great variety of constructs, values and
beliefs that form our Australianness. That makes us
different from other nations.

Mateship, egalitarianism, hardwork, larrikinism, and
humour, to name but a few. We support the ideal that everyone
deserves equitable treatment, the right to live a good
life, a "fair go".

This differentiates us from many other nations. Americans
claim to be the "land of the free". And this is evident
in their "rags to riches" expression. Well Australia's
emphasis on equality extends beyond the equality of
opportunity. Australia's emphasis is on creating a common
level.

" In England the average man feels he is an inferior.
In America he feels he is a superior.
In Australia he feels that he is an equal."

And that will see us through as it always
has.

Mr O,

As I said to runner - there are a great variety of
constructs, values, and beliefs that form our
Australianness. Mateship, hardwork, larrikinism,
egalitarianism, our sense of humour, humility, to name
but a few. These qualities and values still
maintain prominence in the minds of a cross-section of
Australians of different backgrounds, life stages and
genders.