Gnads wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 8:07am:


Is it?  So how did the Indigenous Australians trade?  Why bother?  If they "only catch what they need"?    Indigenous Australians traded significant trade goods significant distances across Australia, from tribe to tribe, Gnads.   Which, if you weren't a Racist, you'd know and understand.   According to you, all Indigenous Australians killed all other strangers as soon as they encountered them on their lands.   Wait a second, how can it be "their lands" when according to you, they didn't have any concept of ownership?  Ooops, caught out again...  Tsk, tsk.   

Gordon wrote on Mar 10^th, 2017 at 6:41pm:


In its own way, it could've been sophisticated. In other ways not. Some people may be impressed, others may not be. It all comes down to personal preferences. I think when it comes to 'comparing cultures' we should just keep an open mind and experience whatever the differences are.

Auggie wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 4:02pm:


Well it's likely that all cultures passed thru the stage that Aboriginals remained at perpetually, obviously not exactly the same but very similar. Despite what Brian would say, I actually don't disrespect Aboriginals or their culture, but I characterise it differently. To not do so is intellectually dishonest.

Brian Ross wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 4:08pm:


Yes, absolutely. Sure, I have my views on particular subjects yet I'm polite to the people I converse with here. Any points you actually try to make are lost because you carry on like a prize wanker in the delivery. Tsk, tsk.

Gordon wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 4:26pm:


That's right. Everyone who comes to Australia or who is of a different culture should assimilate, and the same goes for the Indigenous peoples of Australia. Of course, that DOESN'T mean (and I know that you're not saying this) that people should not retain their cultural heritage or be allowed to practice certain cultural rituals, but they should mainly assimilate.

Auggie wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 4:31pm:


Everybody who does come to Australia does "Assimilate", mate.   I get rather annoyed at this demand that people from different cultures must "assimilate".   Who determines if an individual has assimilated?  You or the person?   How do they or you measure the concept of "Assimilation"?   Do you have an "Assimilameter"?   It is a bullshit belief and a bullshit viewpoint put forward by those who read that so-and-so hasn't "assimilated" according to some fool who seems to think that as soon as a migrant steps off the steps of the flight/ship that they arrived on, they should be swearing like a Navvy and drinking booze like a piss-artist, dressing like a shearer and working like a Brickie's Labourer.    The world doesn't operate like that.  Time for some Australians to grow up.   People dress how they like, speak how they like and work as hard as they need to.  Some drink, some don't.   Life is tough like that.  We are a Multicultural, cosmopolitan society.   We should have learnt by now that people are as people are.    Some will dress like Australians and some will dress like South Seas Islanders.   As long as they respect and obey the law, as it is writ, then there shouldn't be any cause for complaint.

Now, run along and invent your "Assimilometer".  You'll make a fortune off PHONy members.   

Auggie wrote on Mar 11^th, 2017 at 5:44pm:


Who's fault is that?  The Individuals or the society surrounding them.  Look at the Turks in Germany for example.  Generations of "guest workers" who could not become German citizens.  They were isolated by the German society in which they lived.   Yet, according to you, that is a failure on their part to "assimilate", oops, sorry, "integrate"?   Tsk, tsk, you seem to think that some societies allow "assimilation, oops, sorry, "integration"...   

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When one considers that invariably, 15 years ago, the same people who are criticising Muslims today, were proposing exactly the same sort of attitudes they are criticising Muslims for having.   If anybody is failing to respect our institutions, it is the right-whingers who refuse to tolerate or accept that people have a right to be different if they so choose.

Quote:


No one is stopping the Indigenous Australians from "assimilating", oops, sorry, "integrating".  Indeed, the overwhelming majority of Indigenous Australians live in urban communities amongst white people quite happily, thank'ee very much.   They choose, often, to live on outstations.  White people complain that they are being treated differently to Indigenous Australians.  In reality, if they think that Indigenous Australians have an easy time of it, let them go and live on an outstation for a couple of months or years!