Australians are grovellers.

Now, that being said, Australians are… well… inveterate grovellers.

Above even the national pastime of cutting people down to size in a rite we have cutely termed, the ‘tall poppy syndrome’; that, and our obsession with glorious defeat, which we celebrate whenever we can.

And from the late 19th century through to the present day, this grovelling instinct has evolved and entrenched itself into the national psyche.

Its first and enduring manifestation was with all things royal. There was Queen Victoria, after whom two states were named.

There was ‘for King and Empire’ which saw the nation blindly throw itself - or, more accurately, its youth - into the hell of World War 1 with the boundless enthusiasm of teenagers to fight for Mother England - as if Mother England was throwing an all-expenses-paid global 18th birthday party.

Our senior politicians doffed the hat and tugged the forelock even at the sight of a British aristocratic governor or governor-general - and nevermind ‘I did but see her passing by and yet I love her till I die’! For which Menzies said be spoke for all Australians!

In 1954, Peter Finch, in his best 'received pronunciation' expressed the sentiments of his compatriots at the start of the Australian royal tour of Elizabeth II and Phillip, “And here they are at last! Amongst us! Moving in triumphal progress through each city in its turn…”, as the ecstatic nation’s people lined the streets and building rooftops in their hundreds of thousands to watch them 'passing by' (would that Caesar returning to Rome as a victorious conqueror should have been so feted!), and ending the tour with “They were leaving us, and at that moment we realised how sadly we should miss them”.

Then, of course, there was Lyndon Johnson’s visit to Australia in 1966 – Australia’s grovelling having been gradually transferring from British aristocrats to US presidents since World War 2.

By 1983, our grovelling instinct had well and truly found its way to all things American with the winning of the America’s Cup when, to the bemusement of all Americans, no doubt, an ecstatic Australian Prime Minister said it all for us with “Any boss who sacks anyone for not turning up today is a bum!” – Yer what?! Over a yacht race?!

To be continued…

australians havent really known much adversity

a few bombs dropped on darwin , but basicly, like americans, pretty sheltered existences.

if we look at who has crushed it over the last 50 years

germany, japan, china, south korea, israel

these are people who have been through the blowtorch and come out hardened.

our farmers (some of them) are still pretty tough individuals as are our miners.

but your average urban chode?

soft sloppy entitled and therefore, by definition, has no sense of legitimate self worth.

so always prone to seek to snuggle up to an authority figure

look at the covid response

victoria was an international laughing stock

longest lockdowns on the planet 

When Peter Garrett first entered Parliament, becoming a cabinet minister, one of his first acts was to, metaphorically, wrap himself in the American flag and publicly disavow that he still harboured any sentiments he once expressed in his anti-American rock song - 'US Forces'.

Why the need? He was not to be the Defense Minister, and even if he was, it was a song written by a young man to provoke a sense of outrage at US military actions - hardly anything new, even in America and sung about by Americans for decades

But that is not how Australians do things when it comes to Americans... apparently - i.e. use freedom of speech to express a legitimate point of view - just in case we upset Americans.

This form of Australian grovelling - to the US - with its roots in WW2, eventually eclipsed that of the monarchy in the late 20th century and grew stronger into the early 21st - although it has taken on less fawning displays since Johnson's welcome in 1966.

Grovelling is always transactional - in the Australian-US context, it is intended to be a trade: political and social subservience in return for military security.

But, as General MacArthur told a grovelling Curtin - We are here because it is in US interests to be here. In other words, no grovelling is necessary nor will it influence whether the US defends Australia or not.

MeisterEckhart wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2024 at 6:05pm:

But Brian h/as a valid point and I’m yawning along with him.

aquascoot wrote on Oct 22^nd, 2024 at 3:22pm:


Yes, let's look at that. Australia had an OUTSTANDING result in the 2020 Covid crisis. Because we responded to authority. We also had the advantage of being an island, but we didn't do quite as well as New Zealand.

More people want to visit Australia, I guess.

Perhaps you'd rather we be "the land of the free Mk. II" and perished for our free thought (I'm talking about America of course.)

We did great, and you should be proud of that.

Our politicians generally, with a few exceptions, grovel to every trendy nut-bag idea coming down the line for fear of missing out on a few votes from the borderlines, the mentally insufficients, and the totally insane...

How many elephants can fit into a single party room?

The response to the Thorpe demonstration spotlights and puts into stark relief, the, now more covert, Australian grovelling instinct.

While, normally confident men, clasp their hands in front of their genitals - an instinctive gesture revealing willing subservience and obeisance normally reserved for god in churches - Thorpe shows a contempt for the living symbol of a former colonising and imperial power.

Her actions, while undignified, at least demonstrate that some Australians are not overawed by the 'majesty' of the British Crown.