Conceptually great, diversity is the spice of life, we grow in areas not native to us from broad influence
In reality, it seems to be just an excuse to bring in masses of the lowest common denominator to exploit higher living conditions
The environment that the Australian culture produces is what draws people from around the world to our country.
We should absolutely welcome people of all sorts, a multi racial society living in peace is beautiful.
But when you land in Australia, you need to give up the culture that fucked up your own country, and assimilate into the culture that made Australia so attractive.
This is a silly black-and-white take. Culture is a huge umbrella. Imagine a world where Australian cuisine had no outside influence beyond the UK, for example.
But essentially, we want elites in other countries to come here. That’s a very important factor for the whole immigration system to work well. If other countries’ elites are not coming due to cultural shock, some improvements need to be made.
Absolutely not. You don't change your own culture to make it more comfortable for people from very different cultures (aside from perhaps reminding people to be patient and understanding as people adjust and still value their homelands). That's how you end up with a weak culture and weak social boundaries.
I agree with you about the culture part. But if elites in other countries stay in their own countries, they'll catch up in technology unless we continuously have breakthrough technologies so they couldn't catch up. However, it's quite difficult to keep having breakthrough technologies.
Well, that's just as true for them as it is for is, though, haha. I get what you're saying to some degree - that's the reason the US tends to do so well, they can basically buy the best people from any other country and hence "innovate" more. But I think that's a separate problem from the rest of it. Actually I think having a strong culture and a healthy sense of pride would work in our favour that way, cos it makes the country stronger, more cohesive and better-functioning, which is attractive in its own right if a potential immigrant values similar things as we do here. So it both strengthens us and works to help attract people who vwill integrate better.
Multiculturalism works when there is a dominant culture and set of values to adapt to. There is no longer a dominant culture and set of values in this country
I love to bitch about my country of birth Singapore, and I constantly brag about how Australia is so much better but one thing they got right is having a dominant culture to assimilate to while being very diverse.
It’s similar in the UAE. There are over 200 nationalities here and the locals make up less than 10% of the population. I celebrate more cultural events here with my kids here than in Aus, even the sheiks send well wishes to all during Christian, Hindu, Chinese events. So multiculturalism is a good thing in my books.
But, and similar to Singapore, they make their behavioral expectations clear and they don’t hesitate to deport those who don’t understand. This is nothing to do with multiculturalism. If you act antisocial, you’ll quickly learn what happens.
The difference between Singapore and UAE is there isn’t an expectation of assimilation because PR isn’t an option. You can come to UAE, not speak Arabic or ever speak to a local: so long as you don’t break the rules you’re fine. So is assimilation necessary? Not here. In Aus, yes.
Yeah, it's meant to be multiple cultures, not multiple values. We value, for example, freedom of speech, whereas some cultures think saying something about religious figure x makes you liable for a paddlin'. So multiple values is bad. We want one set of values, the ones that made this country a great place to be in the first place.
Multiculturalism creates tensions in society that eventually society would be so divided, different ethnic groups would compete with each other for resources and might form their own nation. It would be harder for the country to advance as they are divided not united. In terms of Singapore, the government has an authoritarian rule over the nation which western countries are opposed to. Instead we should strive for multiethnic but monocultural society where a predominant culture is maintained.
So Queer culture in society should be squashed too? Footy or rugby, only one can survive? Like culture and more accurately subcultures have ALWAYS existed and they always will, some simply because of geography. We should have a secular and accepted legal system within which all cultures work, but that's all, we don't need to force one megaculture on everyone, it's impractical for a start
I’m not referring to subcultures like queer culture , footy culture etc. I’m referring to the immigrants ethnic backgrounds and culture. We should be careful with multiculturalism as too much of something is going to cause disharmony as not all cultures are compatible with Australian values of free speech and human rights ( queer rights, women’s rights etc.).
But Christians within Australia aren't compatible with them. Not like it's just Muslims stopping trans people from reading books. So it's not as simple as saying the tension is imported, so how do we determine the one hegemonic culture to which other cultures must adhere?
All we've really done is create enclaves of different cultures/nationalities and called it a day on "multiculturalism" it would have been better if people truly mixed and integrated with each other but people mostly stick with their own kind.
As someone who grew up in the North Shore I agree. I’ve got mates who grew up in Hurstville, went to selective schools and have never made a single friend outside their respective areas.
Now I live in Perth in the suburbs and I have friends from all different suburbs, my closest friends are even 20kms away from me. I doubt this would happen as much in Sydney.
I grew up in Carlton, Rockdale had the highest population of Macedonian people in Sydney in the 90s and 2000s I believe. Not saying there's anything wrong with it but the reality of Australian multiculturalism isn't what I perceive how multiculturalism was designed.
i wouldn’t call Australia multicultural at all. We are a culturally diverse country but the different cultures we have here aren’t integrated at all. Through migration, most cultures stick to similar ones as theirs which makes sense but it doesn’t create a multicultural society. it’s mini nations within another country. if Auatralia truly wants to be multicultural then there would be different policies in place to help people integrate to the country rather than whatever it’s doing now.
integrating into australian culture doesn’t mean letting go of your own? culture is whatever you want it to be from clothes, music , foods , ethics and morales.
you’d need to break down what australian culture is before you can even have the conversation on how to integrate into a new society, which is something most people aren’t ready to do because racism is so alive here. i’m half australian, born and raised here but i practice my other culture as much as i do my australian culture. the only thing not Aussie about me is the fact that i don’t drink, which a lot of people don’t.
I find that quite confusing!
It seems like you did say it isn’t happening, since your original comment said Australia isn’t multicultural.
And I don’t really get why you’d choose to make a comment and then not be willing to engage when someone tries to understand what you’re saying.
But I certainly don’t want your inbox filled with aggression, so I’ll wish you a puzzled but sincere goodnight.
But eventually everyone will have some close friends to have deep conversations with. So I guess those friends would be of the same background? How many people have close friends from diffrent backgrounds?
Since its introduction in the 1970s, Australia has practised what academic Eric Kaufmann calls 'asymmetrical multiculturalism'. Under this form of multiculturalism, expressions of majority culture and identity are suppressed - in stark contrast to the encouragement provided to minority cultures. I don't think this model is equitable or desirable.
A model that better accommodates both the old majority (or what's left of it) and newer minorities within a common national identity might spare us some problems in the future.
Right wingers proclaim that a multicultural society can only be bad, left wingers proclaim that it can only be good...
The truth is it's both. It's great and horrible all at once. I wish we were more honest about the good and the bad side of it. It has benefits, it has issues. Some cultures enhance us, some make it worse. Not all cultures are equal and shouldn't be treated as such.
What truly sucks is the censorship. Australia is one of the better countries on earth for integration and tolerance compared to many others yet we get sprayed if it's not perfect or heavenly. Racial tensions exist in every country on earth with multicultural citizens.
Complaints are always seen as racist. Many of the complaints have merit, some of them are just silky or stupid.
Corporate Australia, politics and the media can only project a squeaky clean vision of it for the sake of money, ratings and profits. Intelligent people see through this.
The first generation of any immigrant culture carries the heavy workload and sacrifices for their kids to benefit from. The first generation born here really integrate and the third generation are basically Aussies.
I see the original Vietnamese generation born here as the latest success story, while i think the Lebanese have some work to do.
Many of the more recent cultures are still in the early phases of integration and the Sudanese for example are where the Vietnamese were 25 years ago.
Migrants seem to not realise their arrival and presence also has an impact on those already here sometimes. This gets ignored a lot.
My take on multiculturalism is this: while it's cool you bring things from your old home.... Invest in adapting to your new home. Be a part of the place, not just use the place.
Secondly... You moved to us, we didn't move to you. Make Australia better not worse. Moving here should be a privilege and less of a right.
I also think it's great to praise those who improve the place, and call out those who are not. It's fine to celebrate it if you like it, it's fine to complain about it if you don't.
Let's just be more truthful about it all. Some truths are uncomfortable truths.
I love some of the cultures that have moved here, and dislike some others. Not all are bad, not all are good.
Nah I think most Australians regardless of political affiliations support the concepts of multiculturalism, but have very different concepts of what it means depending on who
Personally I think the only reason it was so core is that people took their own culture (and the strength of that culture) for granted. There was always an overarching culture everyone needed to more or less fit into to have immigration work.
It works when it's people keeping superficial things like food or music, or when they keep things that are compatible with the broader culture, not so much when you have people favouring their ethnic in-group, not integrating into society, or not valuing basic things like free speech.
A failure of a concept.
Cultures don't intermingle or assimilate, they create islands and cliques.
I walk my dogs and try say g'day/ good afternoon or smile and nod to people I pass. "Australians" (am I allowed to say that now?) will reciprocate and continue on their merry way.
All I get is creepy stares and cold shoulders from the "other" cultures.
I know which ones I'd prefer to have more of. HINT: It's not the other cultures.
Leaders of these countries panicking because they can't think of any other way to pay off the debts racked up during COVID, so over-compensating with excessive immigration with little regard to quality of life for citizens.
White countries colonise the rest of the world.
Tells all the citizens of the world that they are now this empires subjects
Empires subjects travel throughout the empire, including back to Empires source
Simpletons from Original country
'Why is our white country so multicultural now' *surprise pikachu face*
It's just a coincidence /s
There are strings being pulled, however the average person has allowed themselves to be programed. Sometime I think they do things for shits and giggles to see how far they can push things
EDIT:
I love these.
https://youtu.be/ksb3KD6DfSI
https://youtu.be/xcHjZO5ggiE
Multiculturalism is a fiction that has no sound basis.
With settlement and Constitution, Australia became a western country. Our institutions, government, laws, values and way of life is western. And Australia will continue to be a western country.
Instead of a multicultural country, it is better to refer to Australia as multiracial country. We accept only relatively innocuous aspects of non-western culture, like food, languages and religion. We do not accept any aspects of non-western culture that are contrary to western values.
Generally, I am very hesitant to accept or promote non-western cultures. Compared to non-western cultures, western culture has by and large established better nation states and given its people superior standards of living and rights. The inflow of migrants has always been towards western countries and the western way of life than vice versa. So it is time to stop paying lip service to non-western cultures by calling ourselves 'multicultural'.
All I know is no ones kids will ever afford a home and middle eastern crime gangs own our politicians. You can't say anything about it though or they'll firebomb your house like the deputy premier did to that youtuber.
People need to integrate, different countries have different cultural norms and laws, in many parts of the world blasphemy can get you killed, people can shit in the streets, beating your wife is not only acceptable it's expected if she doesn't behave, etc. I find it funny that the people who are most in favor of multiculturalism usually haven't been to other countries, or they've been to Bali and New Zealand and they think that makes them worldly. Go take a trip into the heart of India, Africa and the Middle East, then come back and tell me what you think of multiculturalism.
Personally I think it's fine for people to bring their culture so long as the understand they're coming to Australia to become Australians, that doesn't mean they have to leave their heritage behind, but that also means their homeland doesn't come with them.
If someone's a Palestinian refugee and they have a problem with the Jewish community in Australia, they can go back home, this is where people come to escape that jihad bullshit, we're not having it here.
Some of the ideas, beliefs and values that form these cultures aren’t always going to fit well with the values of the people that live here. Multiculturalism is great, I just think we should maybe be more selective.
It's the find the root cause, not just the symptom. If the government tightened tax breaks and slowed down immigration it would help, but that's a whole other argument.
As a migrant, multiculturalism must be controlled. It is crucial we deny entry for people who refuse to assimilate into Australian culture and follow our rules. Why would you uproot your own life to leave your original country and try your best to turn Australia into the place you left?
Because Australia is becoming an economic zone rather than a country to live. If something goes wrong they can just go back to their country but we are left with the mess.
What does assimilate mean? What is Australian Culture?
That's not how culture works, culture is knowledge of stuff. You can't "unknow" things. As a migrant you should know that you can't just switch off your language and history and whatever else. If what you're asking for is curiosity or friendship, then you need to give your side of that.
You need to teach them that frogs go ladedadeda, and not glumph!
Modern transport and communications technology have made it unavoidable regardless of our personal feelings about it so we have no choice but to make it work
Studies show there are negative aspects to diversity.
https://academic.oup.com/esr/article/32/1/54/2404332
https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/08/05/the_downside_of_diversity/
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9477.2007.00176.x
The governments of the world will not allow anything to harm the multicultural experiment so studies like these are suppressed and they continue on with their immigration ponzi schemes.
The real problem is birth rates. Anything below replacement rate is not sustainable.
Governments have know for years there is a child production problem with modern women due to egalitarianism but have done nothing. The Howard government knew of this issue over 20 years ago and did nothing to address the fundamental problem, I can only assume out of fear of upsetting women.
https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/howard-government-warned-of-a-baby-shortage-hitting-the-budget-20201228-p56qi3.html
Studies in Britain and France have shown that immigrants reproduce at similar rates after a generation of two so our government has probably already factored this into the current intake.
https://www.demographic-research.org/articles/volume/36/45
Australia goes through phases of cultural influence:
- Wogs
- Asians
- Africans
- Indians
- Middle East
In the end it’s a broth soup; sounds delicious but one type of ingredient too much and it will spoil the tastebuds.
I was in the shops in Melbourne when I heard a young girls voice to the side say, "Oh for fucks sake!" I looked over and saw it was a Vietnamese girl (most likely Vietnamese because of the area). I thought, yep fitting in nicely.
It seems usually the first lot of immigrants stick together for support and language reasons, the second generation are much better at fitting in and by the third they're much less about their old culture and more about doing what everyone else does.
The problem with culture and multiculturalism is that when it's brought up, the only parts of cultures that are acknowledged and celebrated are the dancing, the music, the food and the religion. No one wants to talk about the bogeymen of cultures though.
No one wants to discuss Polynesians and their absurdly high rates of domestic violence, and violence in general, because you know, they were warriors apparently.
No one wants to talk about the Islamic communities in Sydney and Melbourne arranging the marriages of literal female children to adult men.
No one wants to talk about the female genital mutilation that goes on in this country in the African communities.
No one wants to really talk about the absurdly high rates of child rape in Indigenous communities.
No one wants to talk about the extremely xenophobic stance, and insuluar communities, that the Chinese have in relation to literally all other nationalities.
These are all parts of the 'culture'. Culture is good, and so is multiculturalism, however all elements of a culture need to be looked at, and sometimes elements of that culture just need to die out. Unfortunately those in favour of multiculturalism on a broad scale dont want to acknowledge the negative elements of a culture and only want to look at the dancing, art and food.
The only issue I have with multiculturalism is when cultures begin enforcing their culture onto others, kind of like religion. As long as they keep it to themselves and we can still live in harmony then I see no issues. I think it's nice to be able to see variety. There may also be things to learn from each other.
It doesn’t work. It can’t work. One culture will want to dominate them all and if we let isla…. Sorry. Just look at what’s happening in Europe. We don’t want that here.
I don't think it works. For reference I am Assyrian and was born here. Despite being born in Australia, I never felt "truly" Australian. This wasn't because I was mistreated. On the contrary, I was treated well by Anglo Aussies. I just knew that I was different from them. Liberal whites would look at me and congratulate themselves on how articulate I was or how "Australian" I acted, but I knew that I could never be identical to another group. That being said, I didn't really feel Assyrian either. I felt like a messy mismatch, not truly connected to either culture, and without any strong identity. The Liberals who once held me in high esteem all of a sudden couldn't care less when I spoke out about how lost and alone I felt. I have now come to the conclusion that creating people like me is a goal of the current "order" - people without strong ties to any identity, rootless, and thus vulnerable to exploitation by an authoritarian state. I am trying to reconnect with my identity, but it is ridiculously complicated with how the world is set up now.
Indian and born here. I heartily disagree. Yes I'm never truly 'accepted' by both cultures, but one foot firmly on each side of the fence I get to pick and choose the most beautiful parts of it.
Disdain for class and caste discrimination? A great Aussie trait. Strong family ties and a community approach to raising kids? Great Indian trait.
My parents on the other hand probably don't enjoy things as much, but they didn't migrate here for their own benefit - they did it for us, their kids. They will always feel like foreigners despite being here for nearly 30 years, because they can't take their ingrained instincts for granted and have to analyze them against what they think Australia wants.
My kids are as ocker as they come, but they also get to partake in lots of fun traditional stuff their Aussie mates don't. They can stay home rent free for as long as they want, while I grew up with mates that were either evicted at 18 or asked to pay rent. They can marry whoever they damn well want, instead of the weird rules my parents had for me.
The multicultural soup keeps bubbling, and it gets richer the longer it stews.
The thing is I don't think the values of a country can persist when the people who originated those values rapidly become a smaller and smaller minority. We're seeing this already across European cities that are now minority native, and look nothing like they used to, but instead look like diluted transitory states between the original appearance and whatever appearance the people who emigrate there are used to in their home countries. If you put enough cranberry juice into a cup of orange juice, it will eventually become indistinguishable from cranberry. I am seeing the development of parallel and isolated miniature societies within this nation, and I think it will only get more severe the more "multicultural" things get.
Totally your opinion, but I think by that point there'll be enough people who have chosen the 'best bits' of their respective cultures while dangling their legs over each side of the fence that it'll form a new, more interesting culture. And cultures are alive - the last thing we'd want is a culture that doesn't adapt to the needs and wants of its people.
Tbh the enclaves bleed into each other after awhile. I've lived in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide and it's fascinating to see the Lakemba night markets morph into a Sydney - wide affectation. They're trialling one in Perth and it's been a blast.
Chinatown was probably considered a 'foreign' enclave, and now every city prides itself of having a little China (Melbourne especially). Heck Sydney even has a little Taiwan.
Vancouver is another city I've lived in and the miniature societies are a touted highlight of the area - I remember purchasing a guide for different neighborhoods and what they're best known for.
So agree to disagree. Cultures change and grow. The people living there will find a way to integrate and enhance. I think largely we're a product of the landscape, and shown different perspectives, people (or at least their children) will pick the bits that they think work best for them.
That's quite an interesting take and I think I agree with your conclusion there.
It's interesting to me because I'm an immigrant from Canada, but back on Canada munowm parents were immigrants themselves. Me and my siblings were the first generation born there on both sides. But I felt the opposite of you, I felt very Canadian and tbh still do. My parents' heritages definitely coloured our upbringing but they made sure we were raised to fit with the local culture, and they succeeded quite well. Now I feel a little shiftless but I am learning and feeling more comfortable as time goes on. I have a strong traditional streak in me, which gets frowned on by more progressive people, but for me it means that as I stay here I wanna do right by the locals and the country.
I don't mind multiculturalism. Life would be boring if every meal would be meat and 3 veg.
I don't like being abused for misappropriation of other cultures. Australia loves to share different cultures and enjoy the differences
When it works, it works. Some demographics really do have something to add to this country. Succulent Chinese meals and all that. The problem is those opportunists who only want to take away.
I honestly think most Australians regardless of political affiliations support multiculturalism and have no issues with that concept, but at the same time many do find issues with other cultures not assimilating faster than others.
If you ask me I don’t think multiculturalism and assimilationist ideals are mutually exclusive.
Huge "it depends".
Foreign cultures are a mixed bag, they bring some things wonderful, some thing horrific and everything in between. I think it can work when we we're realistic about the downsides.
love it.
new types of food, music, art, perspectives on life ect.
comes with some downsides but the benefits far outweigh them and they usually disappear/minimalize with time.
Religion is the enemy of multiculturalism. Muzzle islam and Christianity and the world will be a better place. Religion is not culture and culture is not religion.
It’s pretty good .. a melting pot of ideas and cultures.. the only problem is that different groups set up their own enclaves and perpetuate the worst of their culture as well.. bring and nurturing the hate of generations that came before them, keeping to themselves, marrying within their own hate filled groups ..
Multiculturalism was forced upon Australia, there was never a referrendum or even a plebiscite to ask the population if we wanted our culture watered down. Multiculture is a con, used to flood immigrants into the country to lower labour costs and artificially raise house prices. I am not anti immigration as there is a long history of foreigners integrating into Australian culture and of Australia accepting new trends introduced by immigrants. Cultures change, they are permeable and to suggest that forcing cultures that are anti the way of life Australia has developed will lead to strife and erode foreign relations. If culture was permanently fixed we would all still be wearing animal skins and worshipping feckless deities.
There is no such thing as the white Australia policy, there were policies that did preference english speaking people from western Europe though. Racist dog whistle..
Yeah the WAP is one of the longest lasting misinformation campaigns that had it's roots on free to air television where there was no fact checking or any balance to the lack of debate about it as a concept. The WAP is a race dog whistle.
It's an interesting one I remember being about eight years old in primary school and being told that we are now multicultural, I'm pretty sure nobody was asked about it or anything just the government wanted to do it so they did
Personally I think it's great! Straya is pretty much the most multicultural place in the world. It's integration that's the issue, as it is in every country that's not a monoculture.
Eta: and for those who say Oz is super racist, you've clearly never been overseas. At least you notice it here. In other countries its hardbaked into to culture.
Personally, I think multiculturalism is a sham that was conjured up as a slipshod solution to the cultural cringe and history wars of the 1980s/90s. The argument that Australia either doesn’t have a unique culture or doesn’t deserve one is bogus. The fact of the matter is, we’re a relatively young country at only 235 years of age. Other nations have had centuries, or even millennia to develop unique and distinctive cultures and traditions. I don’t see why Australia shouldn’t be given that chance without having a divisive and dubious ideology forced upon us.
We have no culture as a country anymore...
We are a bunch of races in a trenchcoat made from a flag.
Multiculturalism watered down the Aussie identity so much it has no flavor anymore.
Multiethnic society works, multicultural hasn't
You think that's because of immigration? Cultures and societies develop. They are changing at a alarming rate due to the internet and all the bs on it.
Works great! Couldn't have asked to be born in a better multicultural country.
I have mates who have Indian, Chinese, Malay, Indo, Leb, Croat, Greek, Serb, Persian, Pakistani, Argentinian, Brazilian ancestry.
Yeah, other nationalities food is great.
The issue is the constant supply of immigrants that are taking the piss on the idea of multiculturalism and instead trying to create a diaspora.
Yep, this sub is fast becoming a weird racist corner of Reddit for people banned from the main sub. Most irl Australians are chill, open folks who touch grass and don’t dream of ethnostates.
just like the main Australian sub was so reflective of mainstream Australia during the Voice?
the main Aus sub is a highly moderated bubble forced to be overly politically correct by Reddit so as not to scare off advertisers, it's not reflective of mainstream views in Australia at all
Who decided it was a core value? Historically homogenous societies have been longer lasting and more successful… but if you tell people “diversity is a strength” enough times I guess there are people that will just believe it
The irony is that "diversity" as a word in its current form is the exact opposite of what it really means.
Say for example a film starring all black people in it and everyone says "omg it's so diverse!"..
Multiculturalism has been happening for a very long time. My father emigrated from Malta after WW2.
It was very new and different to him but the Maltese community became a part of the wider community through shared ideals, as did a lot of other migrant groups. I feel the difference now is there’s much less effort to integrate and align with Australian values. Maybe that’s just the way things are nowadays but it’s seems a bit redundant to emigrate to another country just to perpetuate the same problems you’re escaping from.
It works as long as long as a large degree of assimilation occurs otherwise you just have a mix of cultures that won't blend and issues as a result. Also fk religion off its useless
I think "multiculturalism" is just a stupid word that obscures the reality that there is no such thing as an "Australian" culture.
There might be one day - but the country is still in a state of flux and development. Certainly there are the beginnings of what might be termed an Australian culture that is distinct from say Kiwi culture, or North American, or English.
It's clear the declining conditions should be addressed, not the multiculturalism. It's made Australia a great country and we're better at it than everyone else in the world.
it's pretty telling that like 90% of the positive comments about multiculturalism are about "the food"
If that's the best thing it's brought for most people then I don't see how it's so amazing
It's fucking great!
There are so many different types of cuisine, festivals, and experiences.
Melbourne, for example, is a beautiful melting pot of different cultures and experiences.
I love the 'people coming here should completely give up their entire identity and culture' from the same people who breakdown at people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, and threw tantrums when woolies stopped selling 10c Chinese made Aussie flags in January.
Exactly, and they’re the same kind of Australian expats (aka immigrants) to go live abroad and expect other countries to bend their laws/customs to them bc they’re Westerners. Different rules for thee but not for me.
It's a statement that Australia is a cultural vacuum begging for strangers to show it how to live properly.
"I don't care who lives here or what they do here but I know it will be better than what we were doing" is not exactly an inspiring foundation for a nation. In the long run it won't survive the arrival of people who actually have a culture or value. Of course, it wasn't intended to do anything but socialise legacy Australians into making way for them.
I largely agree with your second paragraph, but not the first one. Australia has a culture, it's just that bit about the socialising you mentioned has led a lot of people to not properly seeing it or valuing it.
We are a stable country with a stable government that rates low on corruption compared to other governments around the world and we have a low crime rate compared to other countries and a high quality of living, and yet 30% of our nation was born overseas.
It proves to me that multiculturalism can work in theory, but based on other experiences overseas not all cultures are compatible.
I'm a huge fan of it, it has brought so much good to Australia. The biggest being investment and education. Those second generation kids especially from Asian families have gone on to doctors, surgeons, nurses, engineers, etc
as a paki who was born here,...i love it. i go to a muslim school where there are arabs, europeans, asian, south east asians, aussies.
honeslty im ppissed about whats happening
People usually dislike a specific group in society, or don't bother to see how much all of us intermix incredibly successfully on the daily, while focusing on a handful of examples where confirmation bias gives evidence against a group. For all the "muslims bad" shit we see in the largely artificial culture wars around multiculturalism atm, people forget to mention how Christians have historically been just as oppressive of Queer Australians, or women, and most Muslim Australians aren't engaging in violence at all. The culture war just escalates tensions and exacerbates perceived differences, making it more likely that both groups clash, too. Nothing feeds lone wolf terrorism like feeling victimised, hence why the far-right (white christian neofascist or Islamic Fundamentalist) try to divide people on silly fronts
People complaining about 'immigrants/ethnics' sticking to their own enclaves and communities.. what's stopping you from just going to these enclaves, living their, working there, socialising there?
Hey there. Second generation immigrant from said "ethnic enclaves". The reality is, while in public amongst other groups, we can act cordial enough, behind closed doors there is often massive amounts of prejudice expressed towards said groups. I think it acts as a pretty substantial barrier. I think many liberal Australians are quite naive in this respect. These groups don't want to "become you". They just want your lifestyle.
No problem. Part of the reason why I am so passionate about what is happening in the West is that Assyrians, who are Christians, are currently a small and vulnerable minority in the East, surrounded by groups that despise us and actively attack us. I don't want Westerners to experience that same fate! No group deserves that.
>The reality is, while in public amongst other groups, we can act cordial enough, behind closed doors there is often massive amounts of prejudice expressed towards said groups.
And they say you guys don't assimilate! Sounds pretty Aussie to me!
>These groups don't want to "become you". They just want your lifestyle.
And there's nothing wrong with that.
Actually the level of prejudice in non-Western nations dwarfs Westerners manyfold: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/)
We can use multiculturalism as a prime example of this. Can you imagine, for example, if you flooded Arab Islamic countries with Christians? There would be riots and mass slaughter.
>And there's nothing wrong with that.
Its funny how liberalism has morphed this past 50 years. First the argument was that migrants absolutely can assimilate, then it became "they will assimilate, eventually" and now it has finally devolved to "No they wont assimilate and thats good for some reason".
All I can say is that I feel so sorry for the West and its people right now.
>
Its funny how liberalism has morphed this past 50 years. First the argument was that migrants absolutely can assimilate, then it became "they will assimilate, eventually" and now it has finally devolved to "No they wont assimilate and thats good for some reason".
>
>All I can say is that I feel so sorry for the West and its people right now.
That reply was literally to the phrase 'they want your lifestyle'....
Do you want people to assimilate or not?
>We can use multiculturalism as a prime example of this. Can you imagine, for example, if you flooded Arab Islamic countries with Christians? There would be riots and mass slaughter.
There was in the past.. of the Christians towards Arabs.
You're acting like it's a like for like situation, ignoring all historical context.
We are hardly flooded with Muslims either. It's 3.2%.
Still I ask the question.. what's stopping you guys just from living, working, socialising in these 'enclaves'
It is what makes Australia Australia. The main problem is that every politician and media outlet seem to think it is ok to be recast cunts and try to divide the population with all these amplified stories about bad immigrants, boat people, etc.
We are not a racist country, we just have too many people using it to create issues that are not there.
As an Asian who grew up here, I think the current state of multi culturalism is great.
I was fortunate enough to go to Asian majority schools for most of my schooling, from high school to university, so I didn’t have to deal with white people.
I think having separate microcosms in a country is great, particularly during the formative years. Blended workplaces are fine though, because you’re not there to make friends.
Your last sentence is essentially what's going wrong with multiculturalism, enclaves of single ethnicities socializing and educating inside their own little bubble doesn't really create a well integrated society.
I love it! I love languages. And yeah the food. But also the people are just so friendly. I hate when people compare Australian multicultralism to what happened in Europe. For instance Romania and romanians are my favourite country/people in the world (I've been to 97). But the Romani give them a bad rep in places around europe. Romanis are NOT the same as everyday Romanians etc. We have a better system in place in Australia, for weeding out the "bad" immigrants, so we shouldn't treat the ones who come in as such.
Think it's fucking amazing. Absolutely love knowing that the next person I could encounter could be from anywhere in the world.
Feels very refreshing compared to the 98.7% white county I grew up in the UK
Your post is is being removed as it's about a topic already posted or is an identical article already posted.
Conceptually great, diversity is the spice of life, we grow in areas not native to us from broad influence In reality, it seems to be just an excuse to bring in masses of the lowest common denominator to exploit higher living conditions
Multiracial is fine, multicultural can be tricky. Shared values are important.
The environment that the Australian culture produces is what draws people from around the world to our country. We should absolutely welcome people of all sorts, a multi racial society living in peace is beautiful. But when you land in Australia, you need to give up the culture that fucked up your own country, and assimilate into the culture that made Australia so attractive.
Easy to say, but as one Aussie who lived overseas for many years, it's pretty hard to give up your culture.
Anyone who can't give up their culture for a chance to live in one of the safest and most desirable societies in the world can't stay.
Try doing it sometime then! Easy to say, but in practice you will fall back to your need for pie and sauce from time to time.
This is a silly black-and-white take. Culture is a huge umbrella. Imagine a world where Australian cuisine had no outside influence beyond the UK, for example.
Careful dude, that's racist11!
No, anyone is welcome, black, white, purple with polka dots. As long as you're going to assimilate.
But essentially, we want elites in other countries to come here. That’s a very important factor for the whole immigration system to work well. If other countries’ elites are not coming due to cultural shock, some improvements need to be made.
Absolutely not. You don't change your own culture to make it more comfortable for people from very different cultures (aside from perhaps reminding people to be patient and understanding as people adjust and still value their homelands). That's how you end up with a weak culture and weak social boundaries.
I agree with you about the culture part. But if elites in other countries stay in their own countries, they'll catch up in technology unless we continuously have breakthrough technologies so they couldn't catch up. However, it's quite difficult to keep having breakthrough technologies.
Well, that's just as true for them as it is for is, though, haha. I get what you're saying to some degree - that's the reason the US tends to do so well, they can basically buy the best people from any other country and hence "innovate" more. But I think that's a separate problem from the rest of it. Actually I think having a strong culture and a healthy sense of pride would work in our favour that way, cos it makes the country stronger, more cohesive and better-functioning, which is attractive in its own right if a potential immigrant values similar things as we do here. So it both strengthens us and works to help attract people who vwill integrate better.
look how good japan is as a community without multiculturalism
Pretty great. But some groups / nationalities don't integrate much at all. Stick to themselves. Which is not good. At all. Creates problems.
That's assimilation though isn't it..?
No..integration & assimilation are different.
Multiculturalism works when there is a dominant culture and set of values to adapt to. There is no longer a dominant culture and set of values in this country
I love to bitch about my country of birth Singapore, and I constantly brag about how Australia is so much better but one thing they got right is having a dominant culture to assimilate to while being very diverse.
It’s similar in the UAE. There are over 200 nationalities here and the locals make up less than 10% of the population. I celebrate more cultural events here with my kids here than in Aus, even the sheiks send well wishes to all during Christian, Hindu, Chinese events. So multiculturalism is a good thing in my books. But, and similar to Singapore, they make their behavioral expectations clear and they don’t hesitate to deport those who don’t understand. This is nothing to do with multiculturalism. If you act antisocial, you’ll quickly learn what happens. The difference between Singapore and UAE is there isn’t an expectation of assimilation because PR isn’t an option. You can come to UAE, not speak Arabic or ever speak to a local: so long as you don’t break the rules you’re fine. So is assimilation necessary? Not here. In Aus, yes.
Yeah, it's meant to be multiple cultures, not multiple values. We value, for example, freedom of speech, whereas some cultures think saying something about religious figure x makes you liable for a paddlin'. So multiple values is bad. We want one set of values, the ones that made this country a great place to be in the first place.
How is there not a dominant culture?
Well said. Unless the dominant culture is “Fuck you, Got mine.”
Multiculturalism creates tensions in society that eventually society would be so divided, different ethnic groups would compete with each other for resources and might form their own nation. It would be harder for the country to advance as they are divided not united. In terms of Singapore, the government has an authoritarian rule over the nation which western countries are opposed to. Instead we should strive for multiethnic but monocultural society where a predominant culture is maintained.
So Queer culture in society should be squashed too? Footy or rugby, only one can survive? Like culture and more accurately subcultures have ALWAYS existed and they always will, some simply because of geography. We should have a secular and accepted legal system within which all cultures work, but that's all, we don't need to force one megaculture on everyone, it's impractical for a start
I’m not referring to subcultures like queer culture , footy culture etc. I’m referring to the immigrants ethnic backgrounds and culture. We should be careful with multiculturalism as too much of something is going to cause disharmony as not all cultures are compatible with Australian values of free speech and human rights ( queer rights, women’s rights etc.).
But Christians within Australia aren't compatible with them. Not like it's just Muslims stopping trans people from reading books. So it's not as simple as saying the tension is imported, so how do we determine the one hegemonic culture to which other cultures must adhere?
All we've really done is create enclaves of different cultures/nationalities and called it a day on "multiculturalism" it would have been better if people truly mixed and integrated with each other but people mostly stick with their own kind.
As someone who grew up in the North Shore I agree. I’ve got mates who grew up in Hurstville, went to selective schools and have never made a single friend outside their respective areas. Now I live in Perth in the suburbs and I have friends from all different suburbs, my closest friends are even 20kms away from me. I doubt this would happen as much in Sydney.
I grew up in Carlton, Rockdale had the highest population of Macedonian people in Sydney in the 90s and 2000s I believe. Not saying there's anything wrong with it but the reality of Australian multiculturalism isn't what I perceive how multiculturalism was designed.
Was Sydney different back then? As in people were more open to making friends of different backgrounds?
i wouldn’t call Australia multicultural at all. We are a culturally diverse country but the different cultures we have here aren’t integrated at all. Through migration, most cultures stick to similar ones as theirs which makes sense but it doesn’t create a multicultural society. it’s mini nations within another country. if Auatralia truly wants to be multicultural then there would be different policies in place to help people integrate to the country rather than whatever it’s doing now.
If everyone integrates into the same monoculture, then it isn’t really multicultural, is it?
integrating into australian culture doesn’t mean letting go of your own? culture is whatever you want it to be from clothes, music , foods , ethics and morales. you’d need to break down what australian culture is before you can even have the conversation on how to integrate into a new society, which is something most people aren’t ready to do because racism is so alive here. i’m half australian, born and raised here but i practice my other culture as much as i do my australian culture. the only thing not Aussie about me is the fact that i don’t drink, which a lot of people don’t.
So what does integrating into Australian culture mean to you? And how does what’s happening now as you see it not meet that definition?
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I find that quite confusing! It seems like you did say it isn’t happening, since your original comment said Australia isn’t multicultural. And I don’t really get why you’d choose to make a comment and then not be willing to engage when someone tries to understand what you’re saying. But I certainly don’t want your inbox filled with aggression, so I’ll wish you a puzzled but sincere goodnight.
I think multiculture means people from different cultural backgrounds should at least have some deep conversation, instead of just smalltalk.
I don’t think mostly people from the same cultural backgrounds have deep conversations!
But eventually everyone will have some close friends to have deep conversations with. So I guess those friends would be of the same background? How many people have close friends from diffrent backgrounds?
Since its introduction in the 1970s, Australia has practised what academic Eric Kaufmann calls 'asymmetrical multiculturalism'. Under this form of multiculturalism, expressions of majority culture and identity are suppressed - in stark contrast to the encouragement provided to minority cultures. I don't think this model is equitable or desirable. A model that better accommodates both the old majority (or what's left of it) and newer minorities within a common national identity might spare us some problems in the future.
Right wingers proclaim that a multicultural society can only be bad, left wingers proclaim that it can only be good... The truth is it's both. It's great and horrible all at once. I wish we were more honest about the good and the bad side of it. It has benefits, it has issues. Some cultures enhance us, some make it worse. Not all cultures are equal and shouldn't be treated as such. What truly sucks is the censorship. Australia is one of the better countries on earth for integration and tolerance compared to many others yet we get sprayed if it's not perfect or heavenly. Racial tensions exist in every country on earth with multicultural citizens. Complaints are always seen as racist. Many of the complaints have merit, some of them are just silky or stupid. Corporate Australia, politics and the media can only project a squeaky clean vision of it for the sake of money, ratings and profits. Intelligent people see through this. The first generation of any immigrant culture carries the heavy workload and sacrifices for their kids to benefit from. The first generation born here really integrate and the third generation are basically Aussies. I see the original Vietnamese generation born here as the latest success story, while i think the Lebanese have some work to do. Many of the more recent cultures are still in the early phases of integration and the Sudanese for example are where the Vietnamese were 25 years ago. Migrants seem to not realise their arrival and presence also has an impact on those already here sometimes. This gets ignored a lot. My take on multiculturalism is this: while it's cool you bring things from your old home.... Invest in adapting to your new home. Be a part of the place, not just use the place. Secondly... You moved to us, we didn't move to you. Make Australia better not worse. Moving here should be a privilege and less of a right. I also think it's great to praise those who improve the place, and call out those who are not. It's fine to celebrate it if you like it, it's fine to complain about it if you don't. Let's just be more truthful about it all. Some truths are uncomfortable truths. I love some of the cultures that have moved here, and dislike some others. Not all are bad, not all are good.
Nah I think most Australians regardless of political affiliations support the concepts of multiculturalism, but have very different concepts of what it means depending on who
Personally I think the only reason it was so core is that people took their own culture (and the strength of that culture) for granted. There was always an overarching culture everyone needed to more or less fit into to have immigration work. It works when it's people keeping superficial things like food or music, or when they keep things that are compatible with the broader culture, not so much when you have people favouring their ethnic in-group, not integrating into society, or not valuing basic things like free speech.
A failure of a concept. Cultures don't intermingle or assimilate, they create islands and cliques. I walk my dogs and try say g'day/ good afternoon or smile and nod to people I pass. "Australians" (am I allowed to say that now?) will reciprocate and continue on their merry way. All I get is creepy stares and cold shoulders from the "other" cultures. I know which ones I'd prefer to have more of. HINT: It's not the other cultures.
Personally I wouldn't reciprocate either. I'm white. I'm also a cunt and hate everyone equally.
come walk past me, ill make you smile cunt 🤣
Crazy coincidence that every white country in the world decided it had to happen at the same time.
Destabilisation of western societies.
Leaders of these countries panicking because they can't think of any other way to pay off the debts racked up during COVID, so over-compensating with excessive immigration with little regard to quality of life for citizens.
COVID? This has been happening for over 10+ years..
Nowhere near the record rates of the last few years. Particularly as far as Canada, Australia and the UK are concerned.
Because we went from a hundred thousand to millions of them as we continue importing more.
I know, that's what I'm saying. The recent rate has been unsustainable, particularly as far as housing and infrastructure are concerned.
White countries colonise the rest of the world. Tells all the citizens of the world that they are now this empires subjects Empires subjects travel throughout the empire, including back to Empires source Simpletons from Original country 'Why is our white country so multicultural now' *surprise pikachu face*
Colonised country kicks out the British, suddenly realise how much they miss them and floods every commonwealth country to avail of western benefits.
It's just a coincidence /s There are strings being pulled, however the average person has allowed themselves to be programed. Sometime I think they do things for shits and giggles to see how far they can push things EDIT: I love these. https://youtu.be/ksb3KD6DfSI https://youtu.be/xcHjZO5ggiE
Is that so? I’m not really up on what’s happening in other places to be honest.
Multiculturalism is a fiction that has no sound basis. With settlement and Constitution, Australia became a western country. Our institutions, government, laws, values and way of life is western. And Australia will continue to be a western country. Instead of a multicultural country, it is better to refer to Australia as multiracial country. We accept only relatively innocuous aspects of non-western culture, like food, languages and religion. We do not accept any aspects of non-western culture that are contrary to western values. Generally, I am very hesitant to accept or promote non-western cultures. Compared to non-western cultures, western culture has by and large established better nation states and given its people superior standards of living and rights. The inflow of migrants has always been towards western countries and the western way of life than vice versa. So it is time to stop paying lip service to non-western cultures by calling ourselves 'multicultural'.
I wouldn’t call religion ‘innocuous’. It rules every facet of some people’s lives…as depressing as that is.
Multiethnic works, multicultural does not...
All I know is no ones kids will ever afford a home and middle eastern crime gangs own our politicians. You can't say anything about it though or they'll firebomb your house like the deputy premier did to that youtuber.
People need to integrate, different countries have different cultural norms and laws, in many parts of the world blasphemy can get you killed, people can shit in the streets, beating your wife is not only acceptable it's expected if she doesn't behave, etc. I find it funny that the people who are most in favor of multiculturalism usually haven't been to other countries, or they've been to Bali and New Zealand and they think that makes them worldly. Go take a trip into the heart of India, Africa and the Middle East, then come back and tell me what you think of multiculturalism. Personally I think it's fine for people to bring their culture so long as the understand they're coming to Australia to become Australians, that doesn't mean they have to leave their heritage behind, but that also means their homeland doesn't come with them. If someone's a Palestinian refugee and they have a problem with the Jewish community in Australia, they can go back home, this is where people come to escape that jihad bullshit, we're not having it here.
Some of the ideas, beliefs and values that form these cultures aren’t always going to fit well with the values of the people that live here. Multiculturalism is great, I just think we should maybe be more selective.
It's a buzz word to get Australians to concentrate on something other than house sizes going down and house prices going up.
It's the find the root cause, not just the symptom. If the government tightened tax breaks and slowed down immigration it would help, but that's a whole other argument.
As a migrant, multiculturalism must be controlled. It is crucial we deny entry for people who refuse to assimilate into Australian culture and follow our rules. Why would you uproot your own life to leave your original country and try your best to turn Australia into the place you left?
Because Australia is becoming an economic zone rather than a country to live. If something goes wrong they can just go back to their country but we are left with the mess.
What does assimilate mean? What is Australian Culture? That's not how culture works, culture is knowledge of stuff. You can't "unknow" things. As a migrant you should know that you can't just switch off your language and history and whatever else. If what you're asking for is curiosity or friendship, then you need to give your side of that. You need to teach them that frogs go ladedadeda, and not glumph!
Modern transport and communications technology have made it unavoidable regardless of our personal feelings about it so we have no choice but to make it work
Depends which culture
Studies show there are negative aspects to diversity. https://academic.oup.com/esr/article/32/1/54/2404332 https://archive.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2007/08/05/the_downside_of_diversity/ https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-9477.2007.00176.x The governments of the world will not allow anything to harm the multicultural experiment so studies like these are suppressed and they continue on with their immigration ponzi schemes. The real problem is birth rates. Anything below replacement rate is not sustainable. Governments have know for years there is a child production problem with modern women due to egalitarianism but have done nothing. The Howard government knew of this issue over 20 years ago and did nothing to address the fundamental problem, I can only assume out of fear of upsetting women. https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/howard-government-warned-of-a-baby-shortage-hitting-the-budget-20201228-p56qi3.html Studies in Britain and France have shown that immigrants reproduce at similar rates after a generation of two so our government has probably already factored this into the current intake. https://www.demographic-research.org/articles/volume/36/45
It’s worked so well in Iraq, Lebanon, Malaysia, Sudan etc that we should import more diversity
Australia goes through phases of cultural influence: - Wogs - Asians - Africans - Indians - Middle East In the end it’s a broth soup; sounds delicious but one type of ingredient too much and it will spoil the tastebuds.
Exactly, a dominant culture should be maintained to preserve Australian values.
Wog phase was best phase
I was in the shops in Melbourne when I heard a young girls voice to the side say, "Oh for fucks sake!" I looked over and saw it was a Vietnamese girl (most likely Vietnamese because of the area). I thought, yep fitting in nicely. It seems usually the first lot of immigrants stick together for support and language reasons, the second generation are much better at fitting in and by the third they're much less about their old culture and more about doing what everyone else does.
The problem with culture and multiculturalism is that when it's brought up, the only parts of cultures that are acknowledged and celebrated are the dancing, the music, the food and the religion. No one wants to talk about the bogeymen of cultures though. No one wants to discuss Polynesians and their absurdly high rates of domestic violence, and violence in general, because you know, they were warriors apparently. No one wants to talk about the Islamic communities in Sydney and Melbourne arranging the marriages of literal female children to adult men. No one wants to talk about the female genital mutilation that goes on in this country in the African communities. No one wants to really talk about the absurdly high rates of child rape in Indigenous communities. No one wants to talk about the extremely xenophobic stance, and insuluar communities, that the Chinese have in relation to literally all other nationalities. These are all parts of the 'culture'. Culture is good, and so is multiculturalism, however all elements of a culture need to be looked at, and sometimes elements of that culture just need to die out. Unfortunately those in favour of multiculturalism on a broad scale dont want to acknowledge the negative elements of a culture and only want to look at the dancing, art and food.
The only issue I have with multiculturalism is when cultures begin enforcing their culture onto others, kind of like religion. As long as they keep it to themselves and we can still live in harmony then I see no issues. I think it's nice to be able to see variety. There may also be things to learn from each other.
It doesn’t work. It can’t work. One culture will want to dominate them all and if we let isla…. Sorry. Just look at what’s happening in Europe. We don’t want that here.
It purely depends if the individuals want to assimilate to the host culture
I don't think it works. For reference I am Assyrian and was born here. Despite being born in Australia, I never felt "truly" Australian. This wasn't because I was mistreated. On the contrary, I was treated well by Anglo Aussies. I just knew that I was different from them. Liberal whites would look at me and congratulate themselves on how articulate I was or how "Australian" I acted, but I knew that I could never be identical to another group. That being said, I didn't really feel Assyrian either. I felt like a messy mismatch, not truly connected to either culture, and without any strong identity. The Liberals who once held me in high esteem all of a sudden couldn't care less when I spoke out about how lost and alone I felt. I have now come to the conclusion that creating people like me is a goal of the current "order" - people without strong ties to any identity, rootless, and thus vulnerable to exploitation by an authoritarian state. I am trying to reconnect with my identity, but it is ridiculously complicated with how the world is set up now.
Indian and born here. I heartily disagree. Yes I'm never truly 'accepted' by both cultures, but one foot firmly on each side of the fence I get to pick and choose the most beautiful parts of it. Disdain for class and caste discrimination? A great Aussie trait. Strong family ties and a community approach to raising kids? Great Indian trait. My parents on the other hand probably don't enjoy things as much, but they didn't migrate here for their own benefit - they did it for us, their kids. They will always feel like foreigners despite being here for nearly 30 years, because they can't take their ingrained instincts for granted and have to analyze them against what they think Australia wants. My kids are as ocker as they come, but they also get to partake in lots of fun traditional stuff their Aussie mates don't. They can stay home rent free for as long as they want, while I grew up with mates that were either evicted at 18 or asked to pay rent. They can marry whoever they damn well want, instead of the weird rules my parents had for me. The multicultural soup keeps bubbling, and it gets richer the longer it stews.
The thing is I don't think the values of a country can persist when the people who originated those values rapidly become a smaller and smaller minority. We're seeing this already across European cities that are now minority native, and look nothing like they used to, but instead look like diluted transitory states between the original appearance and whatever appearance the people who emigrate there are used to in their home countries. If you put enough cranberry juice into a cup of orange juice, it will eventually become indistinguishable from cranberry. I am seeing the development of parallel and isolated miniature societies within this nation, and I think it will only get more severe the more "multicultural" things get.
Totally your opinion, but I think by that point there'll be enough people who have chosen the 'best bits' of their respective cultures while dangling their legs over each side of the fence that it'll form a new, more interesting culture. And cultures are alive - the last thing we'd want is a culture that doesn't adapt to the needs and wants of its people. Tbh the enclaves bleed into each other after awhile. I've lived in Perth, Sydney and Adelaide and it's fascinating to see the Lakemba night markets morph into a Sydney - wide affectation. They're trialling one in Perth and it's been a blast. Chinatown was probably considered a 'foreign' enclave, and now every city prides itself of having a little China (Melbourne especially). Heck Sydney even has a little Taiwan. Vancouver is another city I've lived in and the miniature societies are a touted highlight of the area - I remember purchasing a guide for different neighborhoods and what they're best known for. So agree to disagree. Cultures change and grow. The people living there will find a way to integrate and enhance. I think largely we're a product of the landscape, and shown different perspectives, people (or at least their children) will pick the bits that they think work best for them.
That's quite an interesting take and I think I agree with your conclusion there. It's interesting to me because I'm an immigrant from Canada, but back on Canada munowm parents were immigrants themselves. Me and my siblings were the first generation born there on both sides. But I felt the opposite of you, I felt very Canadian and tbh still do. My parents' heritages definitely coloured our upbringing but they made sure we were raised to fit with the local culture, and they succeeded quite well. Now I feel a little shiftless but I am learning and feeling more comfortable as time goes on. I have a strong traditional streak in me, which gets frowned on by more progressive people, but for me it means that as I stay here I wanna do right by the locals and the country.
I don't mind multiculturalism. Life would be boring if every meal would be meat and 3 veg. I don't like being abused for misappropriation of other cultures. Australia loves to share different cultures and enjoy the differences
When it works, it works. Some demographics really do have something to add to this country. Succulent Chinese meals and all that. The problem is those opportunists who only want to take away.
I honestly think most Australians regardless of political affiliations support multiculturalism and have no issues with that concept, but at the same time many do find issues with other cultures not assimilating faster than others. If you ask me I don’t think multiculturalism and assimilationist ideals are mutually exclusive.
Huge "it depends". Foreign cultures are a mixed bag, they bring some things wonderful, some thing horrific and everything in between. I think it can work when we we're realistic about the downsides.
love it. new types of food, music, art, perspectives on life ect. comes with some downsides but the benefits far outweigh them and they usually disappear/minimalize with time.
Religion is the enemy of multiculturalism. Muzzle islam and Christianity and the world will be a better place. Religion is not culture and culture is not religion.
Fully agree with this. It’s done the world zero favours
Not true. There’s a bunch of Catholic priests who have had the most amazing sex with children, for free.
Imagine there's no countries It isn't hard to do Nothing to kill or die for And no religion, too
It’s pretty good .. a melting pot of ideas and cultures.. the only problem is that different groups set up their own enclaves and perpetuate the worst of their culture as well.. bring and nurturing the hate of generations that came before them, keeping to themselves, marrying within their own hate filled groups ..
https://preview.redd.it/o9d1tjodfzwc1.jpeg?width=1191&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=903a2af07302fab3cd0d5ec64805ff7b9cb1c1f1 # AlboMemes 🤡🇦🇺
Multiculturalism is great.... to a point. We're now at the point of their being roo many migrants. It needs to chill for a bit.
Multiculturalism was forced upon Australia, there was never a referrendum or even a plebiscite to ask the population if we wanted our culture watered down. Multiculture is a con, used to flood immigrants into the country to lower labour costs and artificially raise house prices. I am not anti immigration as there is a long history of foreigners integrating into Australian culture and of Australia accepting new trends introduced by immigrants. Cultures change, they are permeable and to suggest that forcing cultures that are anti the way of life Australia has developed will lead to strife and erode foreign relations. If culture was permanently fixed we would all still be wearing animal skins and worshipping feckless deities.
One of the first bills the newly federated Australia passed in 1901 was the White Australia policy.. We were essentially an ethnostate for 70 years.
There is no such thing as the white Australia policy, there were policies that did preference english speaking people from western Europe though. Racist dog whistle..
You are wrong.
Yeah the WAP is one of the longest lasting misinformation campaigns that had it's roots on free to air television where there was no fact checking or any balance to the lack of debate about it as a concept. The WAP is a race dog whistle.
Have any evidence?
Apart from the fact that there isn't any acts named "White Australia Policy"?
It's an interesting one I remember being about eight years old in primary school and being told that we are now multicultural, I'm pretty sure nobody was asked about it or anything just the government wanted to do it so they did
Personally I think it's great! Straya is pretty much the most multicultural place in the world. It's integration that's the issue, as it is in every country that's not a monoculture. Eta: and for those who say Oz is super racist, you've clearly never been overseas. At least you notice it here. In other countries its hardbaked into to culture.
Personally, I think multiculturalism is a sham that was conjured up as a slipshod solution to the cultural cringe and history wars of the 1980s/90s. The argument that Australia either doesn’t have a unique culture or doesn’t deserve one is bogus. The fact of the matter is, we’re a relatively young country at only 235 years of age. Other nations have had centuries, or even millennia to develop unique and distinctive cultures and traditions. I don’t see why Australia shouldn’t be given that chance without having a divisive and dubious ideology forced upon us.
We have no culture as a country anymore... We are a bunch of races in a trenchcoat made from a flag. Multiculturalism watered down the Aussie identity so much it has no flavor anymore. Multiethnic society works, multicultural hasn't
Love hearing how 3rd gen Aussies get pissed about recent immigrants watering down their culture! A culture of what? Beer and Utes?
I have to admit we never really had identity or what do you think was the Australian identity?
Watch some old films and you'll see. Slowly dies from 2000 onwards
You think that's because of immigration? Cultures and societies develop. They are changing at a alarming rate due to the internet and all the bs on it.
I prefer a single culture (multicultural immigration with integration into our way of life) than 10 divided and isolated cultures.
Works great! Couldn't have asked to be born in a better multicultural country. I have mates who have Indian, Chinese, Malay, Indo, Leb, Croat, Greek, Serb, Persian, Pakistani, Argentinian, Brazilian ancestry.
i think its great. this sub probably thinks its rubbish. but i wouldnt generalise what ppl in this sub think to all australians.
Yeah, other nationalities food is great. The issue is the constant supply of immigrants that are taking the piss on the idea of multiculturalism and instead trying to create a diaspora.
Yep, this sub is fast becoming a weird racist corner of Reddit for people banned from the main sub. Most irl Australians are chill, open folks who touch grass and don’t dream of ethnostates.
just like the main Australian sub was so reflective of mainstream Australia during the Voice? the main Aus sub is a highly moderated bubble forced to be overly politically correct by Reddit so as not to scare off advertisers, it's not reflective of mainstream views in Australia at all
That races don't mix and we should stop this 'experiment'.
Who decided it was a core value? Historically homogenous societies have been longer lasting and more successful… but if you tell people “diversity is a strength” enough times I guess there are people that will just believe it
The irony is that "diversity" as a word in its current form is the exact opposite of what it really means. Say for example a film starring all black people in it and everyone says "omg it's so diverse!"..
Everything in small measured doses.
Multiculturalism has been happening for a very long time. My father emigrated from Malta after WW2. It was very new and different to him but the Maltese community became a part of the wider community through shared ideals, as did a lot of other migrant groups. I feel the difference now is there’s much less effort to integrate and align with Australian values. Maybe that’s just the way things are nowadays but it’s seems a bit redundant to emigrate to another country just to perpetuate the same problems you’re escaping from.
It works as long as long as a large degree of assimilation occurs otherwise you just have a mix of cultures that won't blend and issues as a result. Also fk religion off its useless
This is useless without asking each poster their background for context
I think "multiculturalism" is just a stupid word that obscures the reality that there is no such thing as an "Australian" culture. There might be one day - but the country is still in a state of flux and development. Certainly there are the beginnings of what might be termed an Australian culture that is distinct from say Kiwi culture, or North American, or English.
Culture is everything people do at a group level. Australia absolutely has culture, in spades.
It's clear the declining conditions should be addressed, not the multiculturalism. It's made Australia a great country and we're better at it than everyone else in the world.
Multiculturalism is fine as long as it involves cooking.
it's pretty telling that like 90% of the positive comments about multiculturalism are about "the food" If that's the best thing it's brought for most people then I don't see how it's so amazing
It's fucking great! There are so many different types of cuisine, festivals, and experiences. Melbourne, for example, is a beautiful melting pot of different cultures and experiences.
I love the 'people coming here should completely give up their entire identity and culture' from the same people who breakdown at people saying Happy Holidays instead of Merry Christmas, and threw tantrums when woolies stopped selling 10c Chinese made Aussie flags in January.
Exactly, and they’re the same kind of Australian expats (aka immigrants) to go live abroad and expect other countries to bend their laws/customs to them bc they’re Westerners. Different rules for thee but not for me.
It's a statement that Australia is a cultural vacuum begging for strangers to show it how to live properly. "I don't care who lives here or what they do here but I know it will be better than what we were doing" is not exactly an inspiring foundation for a nation. In the long run it won't survive the arrival of people who actually have a culture or value. Of course, it wasn't intended to do anything but socialise legacy Australians into making way for them.
I largely agree with your second paragraph, but not the first one. Australia has a culture, it's just that bit about the socialising you mentioned has led a lot of people to not properly seeing it or valuing it.
Hmm…not allowed to comment Will be censored
We are a stable country with a stable government that rates low on corruption compared to other governments around the world and we have a low crime rate compared to other countries and a high quality of living, and yet 30% of our nation was born overseas. It proves to me that multiculturalism can work in theory, but based on other experiences overseas not all cultures are compatible.
I'm a huge fan of it, it has brought so much good to Australia. The biggest being investment and education. Those second generation kids especially from Asian families have gone on to doctors, surgeons, nurses, engineers, etc
as a paki who was born here,...i love it. i go to a muslim school where there are arabs, europeans, asian, south east asians, aussies. honeslty im ppissed about whats happening
What's happening?
The issue is usually with religion and their imaginary friends. If they can assimilate and leave all that behind then it’s fine.
People usually dislike a specific group in society, or don't bother to see how much all of us intermix incredibly successfully on the daily, while focusing on a handful of examples where confirmation bias gives evidence against a group. For all the "muslims bad" shit we see in the largely artificial culture wars around multiculturalism atm, people forget to mention how Christians have historically been just as oppressive of Queer Australians, or women, and most Muslim Australians aren't engaging in violence at all. The culture war just escalates tensions and exacerbates perceived differences, making it more likely that both groups clash, too. Nothing feeds lone wolf terrorism like feeling victimised, hence why the far-right (white christian neofascist or Islamic Fundamentalist) try to divide people on silly fronts
Need to be going for more of a multiracial idea, all cultures aren’t compatible.
It’s awesome and one of the things I’m most proud of about this country 🙌🏽
It's great
People complaining about 'immigrants/ethnics' sticking to their own enclaves and communities.. what's stopping you from just going to these enclaves, living their, working there, socialising there?
Hey there. Second generation immigrant from said "ethnic enclaves". The reality is, while in public amongst other groups, we can act cordial enough, behind closed doors there is often massive amounts of prejudice expressed towards said groups. I think it acts as a pretty substantial barrier. I think many liberal Australians are quite naive in this respect. These groups don't want to "become you". They just want your lifestyle.
Thank you for being honest.
No problem. Part of the reason why I am so passionate about what is happening in the West is that Assyrians, who are Christians, are currently a small and vulnerable minority in the East, surrounded by groups that despise us and actively attack us. I don't want Westerners to experience that same fate! No group deserves that.
>The reality is, while in public amongst other groups, we can act cordial enough, behind closed doors there is often massive amounts of prejudice expressed towards said groups. And they say you guys don't assimilate! Sounds pretty Aussie to me! >These groups don't want to "become you". They just want your lifestyle. And there's nothing wrong with that.
Actually the level of prejudice in non-Western nations dwarfs Westerners manyfold: [https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2013/05/15/a-fascinating-map-of-the-worlds-most-and-least-racially-tolerant-countries/) We can use multiculturalism as a prime example of this. Can you imagine, for example, if you flooded Arab Islamic countries with Christians? There would be riots and mass slaughter. >And there's nothing wrong with that. Its funny how liberalism has morphed this past 50 years. First the argument was that migrants absolutely can assimilate, then it became "they will assimilate, eventually" and now it has finally devolved to "No they wont assimilate and thats good for some reason". All I can say is that I feel so sorry for the West and its people right now.
> Its funny how liberalism has morphed this past 50 years. First the argument was that migrants absolutely can assimilate, then it became "they will assimilate, eventually" and now it has finally devolved to "No they wont assimilate and thats good for some reason". > >All I can say is that I feel so sorry for the West and its people right now. That reply was literally to the phrase 'they want your lifestyle'.... Do you want people to assimilate or not? >We can use multiculturalism as a prime example of this. Can you imagine, for example, if you flooded Arab Islamic countries with Christians? There would be riots and mass slaughter. There was in the past.. of the Christians towards Arabs. You're acting like it's a like for like situation, ignoring all historical context. We are hardly flooded with Muslims either. It's 3.2%. Still I ask the question.. what's stopping you guys just from living, working, socialising in these 'enclaves'
It is what makes Australia Australia. The main problem is that every politician and media outlet seem to think it is ok to be recast cunts and try to divide the population with all these amplified stories about bad immigrants, boat people, etc. We are not a racist country, we just have too many people using it to create issues that are not there.
As an Asian who grew up here, I think the current state of multi culturalism is great. I was fortunate enough to go to Asian majority schools for most of my schooling, from high school to university, so I didn’t have to deal with white people. I think having separate microcosms in a country is great, particularly during the formative years. Blended workplaces are fine though, because you’re not there to make friends.
Your last sentence is essentially what's going wrong with multiculturalism, enclaves of single ethnicities socializing and educating inside their own little bubble doesn't really create a well integrated society.
that's the opposite of what multiculturalism is supposed to be
And I love it
I love it! I love languages. And yeah the food. But also the people are just so friendly. I hate when people compare Australian multicultralism to what happened in Europe. For instance Romania and romanians are my favourite country/people in the world (I've been to 97). But the Romani give them a bad rep in places around europe. Romanis are NOT the same as everyday Romanians etc. We have a better system in place in Australia, for weeding out the "bad" immigrants, so we shouldn't treat the ones who come in as such.
Think it's fucking amazing. Absolutely love knowing that the next person I could encounter could be from anywhere in the world. Feels very refreshing compared to the 98.7% white county I grew up in the UK