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Australia Chat: Some annoying things about being Australian

SonicexA

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(This may be the wrong place to post this but...)
What do you think: should we be offended by being called the land down under?
It does get a little tiring when everything that has the word "Australia" in it also has "down under" or "kangaroo". I know
where we are, stop going on about it!
Who agrees with me: Australia seems to be the most stereotyped country on earth.
Just watch the Simpson's episode "Bart vs Australia" and you'll see what I mean.

Maybe I'm just going on...
 

Soecara

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I'm not offended at all, in fact I find most of it humorous in a light hearted way. Australia is far from the most stereotyped country on earth. Most countries to one extent or another have stereotypes but Australia's stereotype is certainly one of the "nicer" ones out there. It becomes apparent when both travelling and talking to travellers, how light-hearted the stereotype of Australia is, Americans for instance have it quite bad due to several stereotypes such as "Americans are rude" or "Americans are bigots", which is much worse then "Kagaroos! Do you really ride them to work/school?", "Funny accent!". "You must like beer!", "Vegemite!" and "Shrimp on barbecues!" (even though we actually call them prawns).

Also it is important to step back for a second and take into perspective just how amazing and unique our wildlife is, it can be found no where else on earth (most international zoo's don't even have them, but some do), which is why there is such a fascination with kangaroos, platypus etc.. Also most people all over the world realise a stereotype is just that, and is in no way an accurate reflection of the people in any country. Though some people, in all countries world wide, will inevitably be ignorant or naive enough to believe a stereotype to be true, most asking about Australia from this perspective rarely ever have any malice behind their enquiries so it is best to just laugh it off and answer with a smile.
 

pinky

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From the perspective of an American, I think it's charming. Kangaroos and koalas are native to Australia so you can't help but associate them together. But, is that a negative? I'd say no. It's pretty cool. As far as "down under" the country is located very south. Once again, not a negative as far as I'm concerned.

Now, if someone asked or assumed you were the descendent of an English criminal who was banished "down under" I'd be offended. I think that's the more negative stereotype of Australians.
 

bpatters

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I agree with Pinky.
 

SonicexA

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@Soecara, I see what you mean. When I wrote that post I was just a little cranky at stuff, so I'm sorry I was a bit whiny.
I know, right? I don't know if other Australians do, but my whole family and anyone I've met calls shrimps prawns, so... [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION], I have had some people go on about how all Australians descended from British convicts, so we must have a high crime rate and such, but I think they were just not nice people anyway.
Thanks for understanding.
 

pinky

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[MENTION=24757]Soecara[/MENTION], I see what you mean. When I wrote that post I was just a little cranky at stuff, so I'm sorry I was a bit whiny.
I know, right? I don't know if other Australians do, but my whole family and anyone I've met calls shrimps prawns, so... [MENTION=15081]pinky[/MENTION], I have had some people go on about how all Australians descended from British convicts, so we must have a high crime rate and such, but I think they were just not nice people anyway.
Thanks for understanding.
Deep down, I think everyone is proud of what and who they are but are affected by how others view them. When you think about it, wars are started over such things....Instead of taking the time to discover who someone is, people assess them as a group, often to the extreme, without any factual support.
 

CavyMama

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There are stereotypes for nearly every country. Australia is far from the most stereotypical. But even if it was, the stereotypes that follow Australia are not exactly the worst ones to have. Here in America, I'm sure you can imagine how the stereotype of being "fat, lazy, loud, obnoxious & stupid" comes across to us. Are there some Americans who are like this? Sure. But by far, this isn't the case. We know how other countries see us but we also know that it is mostly UN-true.

We have to live with the stereotype of being "fat, lazy, loud, obnoxious & stupid", I'm sure you can handle the bits about "kangaroos, koalas, shrimp on the Barbie & the dingo ate my baby".
 

pinky

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There are stereotypes for nearly every country. Australia is far from the most stereotypical. But even if it was, the stereotypes that follow Australia are not exactly the worst ones to have. Here in America, I'm sure you can imagine how the stereotype of being "fat, lazy, loud, obnoxious & stupid" comes across to us. Are there some Americans who are like this? Sure. But by far, this isn't the case. We know how other countries see us but we also know that it is mostly UN-true.

We have to live with the stereotype of being "fat, lazy, loud, obnoxious & stupid", I'm sure you can handle the bits about "kangaroos, koalas, shrimp on the Barbie & the dingo ate my baby".
With the exception of being fat, I really haven't heard the others used to describe Americans. I do think that those collecting welfare or wanting a handout when they're able to work are looked at as lazy but not Americans generally. But, that being said, name calling usually has some sort of ulterior motive meant to shame people into doing what someone wants them to do.

There will always be obese people but I think there are a lot more health conscious people now than there ever was. Even the govt is involved as they're now controlling what kids eat in school. As far as the other things, I haven't heard those being stereotypical of Americans.
 

CavyMama

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@pinky - really? You haven't heard of people in other countries shaking their heads at something an American said, with an "oh, stupid American"? Or comments about the education system or about how Americans don't know anything about other countries? Really? That's a pretty typical stereotype about Americans. And one of the other stereotypes is that we are "rude and obnoxious".
 

bpatters

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Uh, Pinky, you need to get out more. Especially to see the American behavior in other countries that the stereotypes are based on.
 

pinky

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Uh, Pinky, you need to get out more. Especially to see the American behavior in other countries that the stereotypes are based on.
I think there's a lot of animosity and jealousy from other countries due to the wealth of the U.S. I do think that the media highlights trash like the Kardashians, Cyruses and trash like that and other countries perceive that to be the American lifestyle. Immoral or plastic? I can see that kind of stereotype based on people like that but not stupid. "Entitled" might be a better word. Not that Americans are but many feel they are for different reasons. I think if we're perceived as stupid, it's not stupid as in lack of intelligence but rather that other countries don't like that we're not a pawn and won't jump in to do what the others want. It's more about forced globalization and wanting to break the U.S. Like I said before, stereotypes carry an agenda with them so you have to consider that. A lot of it is political.

As far as the education system, I think we recognize we need to do something about our education system.
 

Soecara

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My understanding of the "Americans are stupid" stereotype is that it does not mean that "Americans are uneducated" but rather "Americans are ignorant of anything not American." The only place in america that is stereotyped to be "uneducated" is people from the south (I'm sure you can think of the stereotypes I am talking of, with the exaggerated southern accent and all), but as with all other stereotypes that is far from true. I found this webpage that might help in understanding stereotypes other countries have of Americans https://www.nationalstereotype.com/american-stereotypes/
 

PopcorningPig

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As a Canadian, we get stereotyped a lot, EH? I find Australians to be stereotyped quite a bit also, the one I hear the most is "are they insane? they live in a country that has a million ways to die!" or " they must hate living in the middle of a vast plain of nothing"

And as for the slang, I think its really cute, I use barbie, and rellies. I found this is a quite heated subject: since were both from a former Brittish colony, we to say prawns also. Its not just you.

As for " the land down under " I find that no one really actually uses that term, the only time a hear it is when some ones making a joke, or something.

I say unbrace your culture! people are calling you strong, robust, and interesting, and who doesn't want to be called that? at least you aren't being called " a rip off or the U.S." or living in igloos, and riding your pet polar bear to work. Poutine, EH? and having maple syrup on every thing. ( okay, maybe we do, but, its so good!)

Oh, and I've never been to Australia, but I REALLY want to go!

to all Australians: I'm jealous, and you guys are awesome.
 

pinky

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As a Canadian, we get stereotyped a lot, EH? I find Australians to be stereotyped quite a bit also, the one I hear the most is "are they insane? they live in a country that has a million ways to die!" or " they must hate living in the middle of a vast plain of nothing"

And as for the slang, I think its really cute, I use barbie, and rellies. I found this is a quite heated subject: since were both from a former Brittish colony, we to say prawns also. Its not just you.

As for " the land down under " I find that no one really actually uses that term, the only time a hear it is when some ones making a joke, or something.

I say unbrace your culture! people are calling you strong, robust, and interesting, and who doesn't want to be called that? at least you aren't being called " a rip off or the U.S." or living in igloos, and riding your pet polar bear to work. Poutine, EH? and having maple syrup on every thing. ( okay, maybe we do, but, its so good!)

Oh, and I've never been to Australia, but I REALLY want to go!

to all Australians: I'm jealous, and you guys are awesome.
The "eh?" made me laugh. I think it's the Canadian version of the American "drawl." I grew up in Detroit, across the border from Windsor, and used the expression "eh?" all the time. It wasn't until I went away to college and my friends pointed it out, that I even realized I did it. It took me awhile, but I broke the habit.
 

PopcorningPig

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Wow, YOU made me laugh! You might be part Canadain. Eh? Well maybe not anymore. Have a awesome day.
 

lizpow

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I thank in America most countries have equal stereotyping. The worst in my opinion would be the stereotype of people in the Middle East who have moved or are visiting here. I think it's really sad to see the way people act with those people and as an American I say yes there are plenty of ignorant people here but there are also plenty of people who are not just educated put understanding with people from where ever they are from and know it's not the country but the person. I think that most the stereotyped comment about where people come from are people who are joking and more than anything making fun of the ignorant people who do think that is true. I don't think that the really negative stereotyped countries are joked about which would be extremely inappropriate and its sad that those stereotypes are even how people see other people.

On a lighter note I live in the northern United States (way way north) and there are people in my country who think that I am from Canada when I visit south. And even sadder it's know up here that we are stereotyped within our country quit a lot ( people seriously think we all drive horse and buggy to town and most of us are farmers) I choose to laugh at it though because it could be worse.

It does really bother me when people here say that they have no interest to learn any other language or travel to anywhere that isn't tropical because those people are where that "stupid American" stereotype come from and while it's a minority those stereotypes come from somewhere even if it's exaggerated from the extreme side of things.
 

pinky

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Wow, YOU made me laugh! You might be part Canadain. Eh? Well maybe not anymore. Have a awesome day.
Way back in the days when you didn't need passport, we'd spend a lot of time in Canada. My dad would take us on the Windsor side of the Detroit River to watch the 4th of July fireworks.

Detroit is the only U.S. city where I think U.S and Canadian change gets intermixed and nobody cares.
 

lizpow

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A lot of places in North Dakota and a few in Minnesota take Canadian change I think it's not as big a deal in the smaller towns but that's unique because of Detroit's size
 

pinky

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A lot of places in North Dakota and a few in Minnesota take Canadian change I think it's not as big a deal in the smaller towns but that's unique because of Detroit's size
.

My folks live in the far western suburbs and they get it in their money, too.
 

CubexJ

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I understand what SonicexA is talking about, but I also see what you mean. I am not offended by any of the 'down under' stuff I even like it, but only in small doses. I watched the Simpson episode, and it just makes you cringe. I mean come on, did you hear the accent they came up with. I mean what was that! Anyway gotta go now, stuff to do.
 
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