Why are Australians so proud of their nation?

Question

I can see why Americans are -
America is a superpower.
America is the richest nation.
America is the strongest nation.
America is the most technological nation, after Japan.
America is the beacon of freedom.
Most international companies are American - Walmart, Kmart, Microsoft, just to name a few.
America has invented the plane, car, TV, radio, computer, internet, almost everything we use in our everyday lives.
But why are Australians proud of their nation? Sure, they may have the great coral reef and a big rock, but what's so great about them? What have they contributed to the world besides Steve Irwin (May he rest in peace)? Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to offend anyone here but I'm just curious. That's all.
PS I DON'T WANT AMERICANS ANSWERING THIS QUESTION. I WANT TO HEAR AUSTRALIA'S POINT OF VIEW

Answer 1

G'day,

I can see y so many ppl r writing rather nasty abt this.

I am an immigrant in Australia for the last 10 years. I am a Chinese descent and in the country where I come from, the Chinese are not allowed to speak, read, write and learn Chinese language, or even have a Chinese name. The Chinese are always treated as the 2nd class citizen and always the scapegoat for anything wrong.

Here in Australia, I do not feel like as an 'alien'. There are so many nationalities walk around in Australia's capital cities, with so many terrific food and cultural diversities. I don't even think of staying in China, since I know how the Chinese there will treat a Chinese that does not know their language.

My point is, once you have chosen the country you want to belong to, you have to be proud and love the country very much. If you do not, what's the point of staying? You have listed America's achievements, which means that you are proud with your country, as you should be.

I am proud to be an Australian, because I live in here. So let's put some more prawns, kangaroo meat on our barbecue for Australia Day, and celebrate what living in a great country means to us.

Happy Australia Day everyone. It's a bit too early, but now I feel patriotic :)

Answer 2

We're so proud because we're literally living proof of the Aussie Battler.
Our nation was built basically by convicts but many because decent people because after they served their time they had the OPPORTUNITY to actually become something because althought there was a class structure here, if you're out somewhere were people are all in the same basket and staving, you all work to the same goal. So our nation has grown into a decent 'give a guy a chance' country.
To that end if someone starts getting all uppity and 'I'm the best' it becomes tall poppy syndrome and we cut 'em down. So everyone is still on an even par to a degree.
I don't deny we have many of the same problems with low socio-economics in some areas but for the majority the previous is true.
As well as that we have such a unique country - We have almost every ecosystem there is, and weird funky animals to suit. (Think the platypus - totally funky and cool)
We may be a young country in the grand scheme of things but we've proven we're a great country in such a small time.

Everybody... "I've been to cities..." haha, Gotta love Australia

Answer 3

Being an american myself but also an australian citizen, I feel I can take a stab at this one. America is a superpower - can't argue with that one America is the richest nation - take a look at dubai, much higher per capita wealth than the US. Lower poverty too. America is the strongest nation - take a look at china. Their military amounts to a significant proportion of the entire US population and they have an economic juggernaut to back it up. America is the most technological nation - eh, who cares America is the beacon of freedom - WRONG!!!! Beacon of oppression and imposing it's will upon other nations with no heed for other's rights or sovreignty. Next point - true, doesn't make it good. You now are not the largest producers of any of these things. We are proud of our nation because of the beauty that is here. The incredibly low crime rate, unlike our American brothers. We don't have any random person walking along the street carrying a gun. It's peaceful here and generally we are a welcoming people. We have good values like looking after your mates and backing them up (thank god for this one otherwise the US wouldn't have had the Australian SAS pull their units out of the firing line time after time). If you aren't trying to offend anyone, my suggestion would not be to start off with a whole bunch of half truths about how good America is. Your question was not "Why are Australians so proud of their nation when it clearly isn't as good as mine?" it was simply "Why are we so proud?". I might ask the same question. Why are you proud of supporting a government with one of the worst human rights records. Guantanamo Bay anyone? God forbid I get out of the shower with a towel wrapped around my head to dry my hair, might get sent to the Bay. My suggestion would be to go visit Australia, you will find out why so many come and don't want to leave. Get out of your amazingly blinkered and parochial mindset and have a look at the world as it is, rather than as you think it is.

Answer 4

Aussies are proud of our nation as we are always there for each other and happy to give each other a helping hand when the chips are down. We don't have to claim to be the richest nation or the strongest one. As that is just what it is to be an Aussie, to be proud of what we are and what we can be. We don't need to pat ourselves on the back and say we are great, but I know who I would much rather have with me in an emergency and it wouldnt be an American.
Also it is niave to believe that all Australians are proud of Steve Irwin and would want to be modelled on him. The only reason that he has been showcased in America is due to the pushy nature of his American wife.
And as far as what Australia has achieved, some of the major breakthroughs in medical technology have been made right here in Australia.

Answer 5

Your question is offensive, whether or not that is your intention.

I also find it racist and arrogant. Americans are no better than Australians. Nor are Australians better than Americans.

I love my sun burnt country.
I also love America. I have visited various parts of the USA about a dozen times of the past 20 years and sadly, you are not the only ignorant twit I've met.

However, I'm glad to say that for the most part, Americans are truly wonderful and generous people. You need to go and look at what makes your country your home and ask yourself why that is important.

It took my first trip to the USA to realise why Australia is so special to me, and it has nothing to do with wealth, power or gadgets.

I think you need to re examine your priorities in life, and I believe that the Americans I know would be embarrassed by what you have just said.

Answer 6

I feel more lucky than proud of being australian. We may not be a large country (population wise) but we have made a name for ourselves regardless. I enjoy living in a country where even though we dont have the death penalty there is only a small rate of gun related crimes and murders. I enjoy being in a country where we can afford to go to school and get cheap basic health care. There are many noted and awarded internationally renowned australians out there but that is not what makes it great to be aussie. It is the quality of life and people that make living in australia as fantastic as it is. As a country we may be known best for our kangaroos, koalas and beaches but whenever i talk to someone from overseas what they say they like most about australia is the kind, friendly people and the laidback less hectic atmosphere. I suppose in the end i am extremely lucky to be australian.

Answer 7

Go look up a statistics site and USA IS NOT THE RICHEST NATION LOOOOOOOOOL... your NOT EVEN AS RICH AS JAPAN...

Your funny.

Australia has a higher rated standard of living than USA.. you all live in shoe boxes with your discount coupons to buy food don't you? CANADA is ranked a higher standard of living than USA... so is JAPAN.

Go get ACCURATE information and come back.
Australians would probably call you a tool.

Besides darling if USA was so fabulous you wouldn't be insecure enough to post this ridiculous question you wouldn't be thinking about Australians... so tell me WHAT IS MAKING YOU FEEL SO JEALOUS OF THEM? :D

You question is so accurate (sarcasm) that I imagine the education level in USA must be creating geniuses.

Ignore the posting under mine he obviously has no friends thus hates life.. anyone who needs to state they are "normal" obviously wouldn't be. Had he been anywhere else in the world apart from his own bedroom he wouldn't hate Australia so much. As for his women who think he owes them something... hey if you pick girls up off the main road they do usually want money after ;)

Answer 8

I think you have set up a very interesting comparison. You are comparing a country with the population of New York but lets go with a straight up comparison.

Just to examine a few of the great inventions from Amercia you mentioned...

Car - Karl Benz was the German mechanical engineer who designed and in 1885 built the world's first practical automobile to be powered by an internal-combustion engine.

TV - John Baird from Scotland was the first person to operate a television system uses running frames of images.

Radio - Guglielmo Marconi, an Italian inventor,sent and received his first radio signal in Italy in 1895.

Computer - Konrad Zuse (1910-1995) was a construction engineer for the Henschel Aircraft Company in Berlin, Germany at the beginning of WWII. Konrad Zuse earned the semiofficial title of "inventor of the modern computer".

Richest Nation - America's national debt is now is approaching 9 Trillion Dollars v's Australia has a national surplus of 11 Billion in 2005/2006 financial year.

Strongest Nation - America has lost wars with Vietnam, North Korea and is in the process of losing a war in Iraq. A quote from a US Soldier serving in Iraq (link is below) "The Australian Army is the greatest and most aggressive in the world, the SASR special forces has surpassed the British with aggression and raw ability prevailing through all their battles. You just ask any US soldier that has been on op with an Aussie and they will tell you how it really is".

Beacon of Freedom American's can not feel safe walking the streets of the USA in comparison to Australia. The gun murder rate in America is 14.24 per 100,000 people with Australia at 2.65. As far as travelling the world, Australians require visa's for 86 countries in the world while Americans need to get 117. Obviously not as free to travel or as trusted.

What has Australia done for the world...
1) Differential gears - enabling vehicles to have more than one gear
2) Hyshot Scramjet Engine - fastest vehicle on earth and the future of space travel
3) The Electric Drill
4) Pre-paid Postage
5) The photocopier
6) Refrigeration (the first fridge was in Melbourne in 1850).
7) Electronic Pacemaker
8) Penicillin
9) The Bionic Ear
10) Aspro (Asprin)
11) Spray-on-skin for burns victims
12) The world's first vaccine to prevent cervical cancer
13) The first feature length film ever made was in Australia
14) Freestyle swimming stroke

And finally, why should Australians be proud
1) Free health care
2) Free schools
3) No upfront payment for University
4) Safe country
5) People are friendly and have a great sense of humour
6) Awesome surf and beaches
7) Good night life
8) Rainforests, beaches, Great Barrier Reef, Desert, Snow fields, Fraser Island, Whitsundays
9) Low level of unemployment (less than 5%)
10) Best sporting nation on earth
*At the last Olympic Games, Australia won 4 times more Gold medals per head of capita than the USA.
2.6 Gold per million people v's 0.7 Gold per million the the USA.

I feel sorry that you can't see through your countries own propaganda but maybe actually travelling the world and learning more about your own would be a good start.

Answer 9

Reading your list of "achievements" (which I must point out is quite inaccurate you know) I now have a question for you. Why would you be proud to be an American if these were the only things your nation could accomplish?

There's an old saying "The best things in life are free". Things like mateship, respect, compassion, appreciation, humility, co-operation. AND FRESH AIR!!! We have all of these in abundance in Australia, as well as some of the most brilliant medical minds of our times. And we don't need to bully or threaten our allies to get them to agree with us!

Also, think about what was done for the victims of these disasters in the aftermath of them happening.

USA - Hurricane Katrina/ New Orleans
Aus - Cyclone Larry/ Far North Queensland OR Cyclone Tracy/ Darwin (look them up if you don't know what I'm referring to!)

If you have to ask WHY Australians are proud of their country then you really are as arrogant and narrow-minded as your question portrays you to be.

Answer 10

Australians are in fact very proud of their country.

Why should the wealth or ' power ' of a country make one country any better or more proud than the next ?

Pride of country comes from the weather, character of the people, compassion, social climate, things to do, beautiful land, beaches, animals, proud people, strong character, government celebrating and encouraging their citizens, etc, etc.

Australia has all of these things and more.

By the way . . . I am an American . . . born and raised living in California. And, you sir, are simply one voice, not representative of all Americans.
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Peace to you.
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