Wednesday 26 January 2011

I Am, You Are, We Are Australian

Today is Australia Day, and I think, as a nation, we still aren't sure what it means to be Australian. It might have something to do with dying in a war on a beach, or it might be all about sport, alcohol and cooking outdoors. People might throw around words like "larrikin" and "underdog", too, but I still don't think we're closer to really defining our national identity.

Maybe one of these days we'll get it clear, but for now I think it's better that we have just a vague stereotype. I'm Australian and you're Australian, and the different ways we express that is how we make up this nation. That way we don't define Australia by what we should be, but what we currently are, and there's nothing to point at and say "this is Australian, and you are not". It's inclusive. I like that.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - That's what "multiculturalism" is supposed to be, right?
PPS - That was never clearly defined either, but that's what I think.

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