Guest melissa Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 I've noticed that a lot people complain about Australia having a lack of culture compared to the UK. But what do people really mean when they say 'lack of culture'. I know that culture can be sub-divided into categories but people generally make a sweeping statement. I used to be guilty myself of saying that countries like Australia and America have no culture, but over time i've had to admit to myself that i was just emulating what everyone around me was saying. Personally, i like watching sport, drinking, playing sport, drinking and eating. I've been dragged to the ballet a couple of time's by Mel and it was surprisingly okay. I've been to the theatre a couple of time's and that was okay too. But the UK isn't the only place in the world with theatre's and ballet, if that's what 'culture' is. As for pub culture, that used to be good when i was younger but unless you're into cocaine these days....well, i'm sure some of you know what i mean. Anyway, if you think Australia lacks culture, then please let us know in what way. Or am i just uncultured! Darren. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kabroom Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Hi Darren, I have been wondering about this aswell as I think I must be lacking in culture too. My interpretation when people say this is that it's lacking in the oldie things, buildings, cobbled streets etc. Come on guys enlighten us please. Wendy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 For me it is more than going to the ballet or opera or even the pub. It is hard to explain but I found these definitions which encapsulate it for me - it is more about the national psyche, roles, values and customs than anything else. Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving. Culture is the systems of knowledge shared by a relatively large group of people. Culture is communication, communication is culture. Culture in its broadest sense is cultivated behavior; that is the totality of a person's learned, accumulated experience which is socially transmitted, or more briefly, behavior through social learning. A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next. Culture is symbolic communication. Some of its symbols include a group's skills, knowledge, attitudes, values, and motives. The meanings of the symbols are learned and deliberately perpetuated in a society through its institutions. Culture consists of patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of traditional ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on the one hand, be considered as products of action, on the other hand, as conditioning influences upon further action. Culture is the sum of total of the learned behavior of a group of people that are generally considered to be the tradition of that people and are transmitted from generation to generation. Culture is a collective programming of the mind that distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another. Even so, it is hard to get the big names on the stage, the top quality ballets and operas (unless you happen to live in Sydney), we are usually well last to get the latest movies which is what most people associate with "culture". The Aussies thought they had the pinnacle of art for example when they wasted millions of dollars on Blue Poles (Jackson Pollack). For the "real" Australians - the ones who dont live in the cities - their idea of culture is the Friday raffle at the pub where someone walks out with half a sheep. I think it is quite understandable though, in the scheme of things the country is like a pre-adolescent unless you count Aboriginal culture which has little relevance to the vast majority of Australians and, seeing what they are doing with it, even less likelihood of it being something to be valued beyond a few modernistic dot paintings, all done within the last 50 years. At the moment we are still at the tacky superficial stage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pinhead Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Aborigines are the oldest race on the earth, you can't get much more 'culture' than that! Melbourne has art galleries, theatre, ballet, opera, loads of sport & historical buildings. Plus probably the best shopping in Oz. The people who go on about the lack of culture in Oz compared to the uk probably never actually visit/go to any of the culture in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saunders clan Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 Good thread. I don't get what people mean by 'materialistic' and 'superficial'. Are you talking about the people? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 So how many migrants spent went to the ballet the opera in UK or the galleries. When I returned to the UK we spent my time doing all the culture things but found that most people did not bother just like here. I go to the ballet am going to see Madam Butterfly at the Frankston Arts Centre next week and it will be delightful. I do not have to see the best in the world to enjoy culture. My friend and her husband go to local productions all over Melbourne all the time and enjoy them greatly. It just depends what floats your boat. As for culture I love Australian culture, mixture of so many different cultures and each one giving something to the society. A wok is the main kitchen implement used in our kitchen as we live on asian food these days. Culture is what the individual person enjoys not what someone else does imho:cool:. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nyper74exc Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 what about culture club? karma karma karma karma karma chamelion.....we come and go.......................................sorry- too tempting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 LOL, he was one weirdo ,lol, red ,gold n green ,,that was his hair wasnt it?lol Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nyper74exc Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 and then theres culture beat.........calling mr raider, calling mr vain, vain, vain Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest9973 Posted July 4, 2008 Share Posted July 4, 2008 It's a strange area is this. I think there are 2 "Cultures" One is perceived as art,visiting the opera,and so on. The other is more lifestyle ,socialising,talking about sport / fashion. There is both here the former would not bother me much in any country - apart from there is only a short history here.In the UK we loved to visit old National Trust properties and soak up the "age" Here there is chance to get out into some pretty wild country and once far out it does feel "old" to me - I just wonder how the Aboriginals managed to survive out there. The latter is just the same,here talking sport,recreation socialising is just the same - just different shaped balls and different tasting beer. We have some good Aussie friends and it's fascinating to talk with them.Some have worked on the land in some god forsaken places.Theses are "real" Aussies.We seal a deal with a handshake - it's all it takes.I'm afraid that the archetypal Aussie is going to be lost in a generation.The younger generation seem very different,too much American TV and money orientated and any business involves a contract in triplicate. Does that make sense??:spinny: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gary12 Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 i have lots of culture growing in my socks after i haven't changed them for a couple of weeks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobN Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I'm afraid that the archetypal Aussie is going to be lost in a generation.The younger generation seem very different,too much American TV and money orientated and any business involves a contract in triplicate. Too true, it's getting horribly Americanised in Australia now. It's not the same place as when my wife grew up here, and this is in a bad way in both our views. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest earlswood Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 ]Aborigines are the oldest race on the earth[/b]' date=' you can't get much more 'culture' than that! Melbourne has art galleries, theatre, ballet, opera, loads of sport & historical buildings. Plus probably the best shopping in Oz. The people who go on about the lack of culture in Oz compared to the uk probably never actually visit/go to any of the culture in the UK.[/quote'] Actually it is the Bushmen of Africa. rockartgallery.sobeit.co.za Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Hi Darren, I have been wondering about this aswell as I think I must be lacking in culture too. My interpretation when people say this is that it's lacking in the oldie things, buildings, cobbled streets etc. Come on guys enlighten us please. Wendy Bristol is advertised as hugely cultural and multi culteral, really really old buidlings (our local church is partly 10th century, Bath is nearby, Roman built, I work on a road with 300 year old cobbles near the Bristol Old Vic home of practically every actor there is, you have the Pump Rooms in Bath, all so very old. Guess what, I am cultured out. Who cares! Mind you I would really like to see inside Buckingham Palace before (hopefully) we come to Oz! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest9973 Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I'm getting loads of "Culture" now.......... just come in from a meal and the neighbouring farm is having a party tonight - Acca Dacca (AC/DC) on the music system at the moment - making my windows rattle!!!!! :twitcy::twitcy: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Count Zero Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 The culture thing is quite difficult to fathom. Someone said to me before I first moved to OZ that they could not deal with the lack of culture. I think its to do with the lack of good artists, musicians and facilities for the arts in Australia with it being too sports focused more than the historical stuff. Not many musicians or film makers move to Australia but plenty move out and this is probably because Aussies tend to be more sporty than arty in general. But is that the Aussie culture? sports watchers as opposed to concert goers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Pinhead Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 Australia is thriving making films for hollywood studios even if the're not oz films. A bit like the UK in that sense. There are also plenty of current A list hollywood stars that are aussies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bod Posted July 5, 2008 Share Posted July 5, 2008 I've seen more culture on a pickled onion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aldo Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 :biglaugh: That simply isn't true!! (not the oldest race) they themselves are foreigners to Australia they've been here around 50,000 years give or take But what do they do? what purpose do they serve? what have they achieved in 50,000 years or perhaps even longer? I know what my answer is! Well that post should stir things up a bit... Its a shame that ppl have to create a new ID when ever they don't have balls enough to stand by their statements though. Tim could always check IP addresses and let us know who else has posted from your IP :twitcy: Back on topic, i read somewhere that pigmies where here before the Abo's though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigman Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Well that post should stir things up a bit... Its a shame that ppl have to create a new ID when ever they don't have balls enough to stand by their statements though.Tim could always check IP addresses and let us know who else has posted from your IP :twitcy: Back on topic, i read somewhere that pigmies where here before the Abo's though. Again not true!!, Abo's are the first settlers! but it is beside the point. Culture is a development of factors recognised by approved bodies.(?) I'm nothing to do with your unproven allegations that I'm a part and parcel of this website and it's governing bodies. I do, however have the "balls" to voice an opinion!!.......and a factual one at that!! My advice would be, do not guess or even state what you read without a knowledge of what you are trying to State or relate to! My IP addrress is.....as you may well find without relation. It will be proven though!...........the fact your reading or ability to read and comprehend what has been stated..................is very different. eg:- I think I've read that Aldo is the worlds greatest ****head!! true or false? you decide!:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobN Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 But what do they do? what purpose do they serve? what have they achieved in 50,000 years or perhaps even longer? I know what my answer is! That would depend on whose values & worldview you base the opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Guys, lets try and keep this on a sane level please and not get personal. As the other mods have said many a time, do we really want to close another thread??? Can we at least try and keep the thread to the discussion that it started at and not get personal! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aldo Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Again not true!!, Abo's are the first settlers! Giants From The Dreamtime (excerpts Chapter1) The Yowie in Aboriginal Myth and Legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest tigman Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Giants From The Dreamtime (excerpts Chapter1) The Yowie in Aboriginal Myth and Legend Aldo.............You really are what I expected!! To RobN who suggested based on which values and world-views?......get real!!. Your own!! is the simple answer.:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aldo Posted July 6, 2008 Share Posted July 6, 2008 Aldo.............You really are what I expected!! Thats nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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