America's influence in Australian society Options

[Subotai]

M-16 = Good
AK-47 = Bad

Capitalism = Good
Communism = Bad

U.S.A. = Good
Russia = Bad

Who here had this mentality, who here grew out of it, and who here has experienced this?

[Subotai]

OH FFS am I the only gun-hoe militaristic fu-king aussie here on this forum????

[miss_merisha]

I think the idea of communism is good but like it doesn't work.
Capitalism, I think it's good but not total capitalism.
I think Socialism+ Capitalism = THE BEST

[babelone]

Who here had this mentality, who here grew out of it, and who here has experienced this?

Mate = Good.
Buddy = Bad.

[Subotai]

I think the idea of communism is good but like it doesn't work.
Capitalism, I think it's good but not total capitalism.
I think Socialism+ Capitalism = THE BEST

Australia isn't full Capitalism itself, look at our dole and tax rates!!!!

Mate = Good.
Buddy = Bad.

I like your thinking mate, that's the way to go

[miss_merisha]

Australia isn't full Capitalism itself, look at our dole and tax rates!!!!
I like your thinking mate, that's the way to go

I know I was referring to the U.S

[BirdFeed]

that's a bogan mentality.

[Ralf]

Capitalism, I think it's good but not total capitalism.
I think Socialism+ Capitalism = THE BEST

Perhaps capitalism with a social conscience ?

[iMumble]

Who here had this mentality, who here grew out of it, and who here has experienced this?

I thought Australia was too far from America.

[Ralf]

I thought Australia was too far from America.

Due to the Cold War alliances and the prevalence of American pop culture and of course our common language, the land DownUnder has been "close" to the USA, despite the geographical distance.

[babelone]

I think the idea of communism is good but like it doesn't work.
Capitalism, I think it's good but not total capitalism.
I think Socialism + Capitalism = THE BEST

Yep! The Middle Path helps us all through the lucky times and the unlucky times. I know I put this one up back a few Sundays ago in the Ideal World thread, but it's only a short exerpt, and I just can't help it. naughty Sean.

Tom Robbins - Villa Incognito, 2003.

'When socialism is pushed beyond a certain point, it becomes totalitarianism. Capitalism, on the other hand, if carried to its extreme, becomes anarchy. Anyone who doubts the accuracy of this last observation has never walked the streets of Bangkok.

Mainly just because Bangkok is such an exciting place, I guess. What's more, last year there were big steps (literally) taken towards improving footpaths for disabled people, perhaps confined to wheelchairs. This is a good sign of a more healthy mix between capitalism and social conscience.

Getting back to Australia, I can say from recent experience how the excessive taxes I begrudgingly payed for 20 years before the injury and the illness have been of great benefit to pay the rent and stay on the Internet over these past two years. When healthy, socialism is a problem because of the taxation, but when unwell, opinions change, although one would have to be ill for a darned long time to recoup the taxation losses over the years.

I also feel sorry for people who might get injured or fall ill jsut after leaving school, for they probably haven't paid much tax over their working lives, and the guilt factor must start to encroach in such circumstances, on top of the self-pity and stuff like that which is universal.

Perhaps this recent change in government will help Australia to overcome some of the Americanisations of the last decade, but while there is a long way to go to restore income equity among all citizens, it would be another disaster to return to the 18% interest rates and socialism of twenty years ago, so it's important that the new government doesn't overcorrect the mistakes of the previous government.

We don't want to be the 53rd state, but we don't want to be merely another province of China either.

[Ralf]

babelone so you propose the (an allusion to Buddhism ?) "Middle Path" : Capitalism with checks and balances.

In your writing it appears that you acknowledge the American influence on the Australian healthcare system.
Some Australian governments have pushed healthcare in a socialist direction, with high interest rates needed to support it, and other Australian governments have pushed healthcare in a capitalist direction, modelled on the USA system.

The way I understand it, the American healthcare system is run by private companies who only seek to maximise their profits.
Therefore if the patient can not pay, the doctor will turn you away, unless you have a life-threatening condition of course.
An Australian tourist on holiday in the US suffered an asthma attack and was turned away from a hospital, because she had lost her wallet with her ID, credit cards, and could not pay.

While the government in Australia provides a level of "free" healthcare through other revenues, there is criticism about the efficiency of the system. Critics have pointed out that ill patients have died whilst waiting in the ambulance outside the hospital. Funding for "beds" in hospitals and sufficient medical facilities, has been a long standing issue in Australia.

[miss_merisha]

Perhaps capitalism with a social conscience ?

Isn't that socialism?

[Ralf]

Isn't that socialism?

Without getting bogged down in semantics, I would say "capitalism with a social conscience" is a free-market economy and democracy with checks and balances.

[Subotai]

Interesting replies from all of yas, cheers

Personally I do not wish Australia to become U.S.A.'s 51st state, but many have succumbed to its influence - especially those who live their lives on a couch with beer watching TV all day sitting around on the dole.

I've met a hell of a lot of such recently in a country town, very disturbing. I admit I did experience such a mentality during my youth especially during my preparation for joining the Australian Army - with pro-Britain and pro-U.S. thoughts clouding my mind from the real world which is nothing like what they preached in their propaganda.

[Ralf]

Where does the Australian entertainment industry stand in relation to the USA ?

[Kiss_the_Girls]

Aussie entertainment industry is basically CRAP! Who the f.cuk wants to watch Home and Away or Neigbours?? They want to cull the number of U.S. dramas that comes to our shores to save the industry.

[Ralf]

Aussie entertainment industry is basically CRAP! Who the f.cuk wants to watch Home and Away or Neigbours?? They want to cull the number of U.S. dramas that comes to our shores to save the industry.

What measures do you think we could adopt to re-invigorate the Australian film industry ?

[miss_merisha]

My teacher says communism is socialism gone wrong.

I hate the fact that we're "Americanising".

Let's stop using the word bucks, stop eating Mc Donald's and stop using American spelling.

EDIT: Aussie tv sucks. Who wtf watches Neighbours and Home Away?

Aussie artists are alright but t.v show sucks.

This post has been edited by miss_merisha: Feb 20 2008, 12:19 AM

[Ralf]

My teacher says communism is socialism gone wrong.

I've forgotten who it was, but someone in AF explained that the main problem with communism is that it tries to impose extreme changes on Human nature, and that is why it is not so successful as a way of life.
I agree with that explanation.

I hate the fact that we're "Americanising".

I think it is inevitable, and perhaps it is not such a bad thing.
On a micro scale, we need to be aware that some elements of American systems may not be suited to Australia, but on the macro scale, if we zoom out and look at the big picture, we can see that different cultures have always mixed and given rise to new ones. Looking back over history, the cultures that isolated themselves, were the ones that got left behind, while the rest of the world tended to make progress.
If we consider that all cultures are a mixture of influences that preceded them, it doesn't seem like such a bad prospect to mix elements from American culture, or even Indonesian culture, with our own Australian way of life.
Instead of rejecting change, we should be flexible to engage with it.

EDIT: Aussie tv sucks. Who wtf watches Neighbours and Home & Away?
Aussie artists are alright but t.v show sucks.

I admit I do not watch Neighbours, Home & Away, or any other Australian soapie.
In fact I do not watch American drama series either. Whether Aussie or US, the TV drama series mostly have contrived, convoluted, drawn-out plots that just bore me to frustration.
However the TV polls indicate that a large section of the Australian population does watch Aussie soaps.

Hey where did the concept of the TV drama series originate ?
Was it an American influence ?