MONDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2000
and that's about the end it,
(the fair go)
Do you know this bloke ?
Laid back, likes a drink, cheerful, happy-go-lucky, loyal, accepting, ya' best mate, do anything for you, someone to rely on and totally anti authority.
I'm not talking about a yob or an ocker, but a real Australian.
Last time I came across this bloke was 20 years ago. There all dead now.
Blokes like him.
I did not think Australia had a culture to speak of. But we do, or we had. It harks back to a time, (not too long ago mind you), when we were happy.
To me, being Australian, is to be fair. Hence the term "fair go".
which meant, accept, "give him a turn", "let him have his say", like a primitive form of consensus. Coming to an agreement to all things being "fair".I have never had respect or fear of authority, nor have I felt intimidated by any person's wealth or status. This is not an individual characteristic, more a cultural one. Anti authority and having no regard for status, is (or was), very Australian. I like it. It crosses all barriers of race and religion. Part of this nature also extends to not being particularly prejudiced. Which comes back again to "the fair go". All Australians 20 to 30 years ago saw themselves as "battlers". This included migrants or "new aussies" who "battled" to create an idyllic lifestyle for their families. White Australians may have grumbled about the "dagos" or the "wogs" but I doubt very much there was any real spite or hatred which is usually associated with genuine racism. Pauline Hanson in the 50's and 60's would of still been treated as the carrot headed joke she is today.
Australians today are far too self-absorbed to consider a thought for say, their neighbour, work mate, best friend. You think I am extreme ? Think about it, really think hard. In the last 5 years I have felt an acceleration. Work practices have changed so much I can barely catch my breath. Statistics, monitoring, accountability, economic rationalization, one on ones with your "group leader". All insidious and nasty little adoptions from the bloated, bastard "monster" across the Pacific.
It is the constant pressure, every single day, that your job is on the line. The only time my Grandfather ever used to worry if his job was at risk, was when he took 4 weeks holiday. (An old Australian fear of being away from work for too long, and being frightened by the changes that had taken place in one's absence.)
I never go out during the working week. Every night when i leave work, I want to race home and shut out the world. I especially do not want pick up the phone. My social life suffers and I do not see my family as much as I should. It makes me greedy for my own time and I don't want to waste it on anyone except for my beloved.
Community spirit is dead. It's dog eat dog, and you better hide that bone boy !
I hate it, and I am more neurotic now, than ever before.
The above picture of Chips Rafferty was a sad romantic notion. It symbolized the fair and decent Australian male.
An image of real manliness with a generous and good heart.
Something I very much wanted to be.
C O N T A C T
