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Tue 31 Jan, 2006 12:53 pm
I dunno. Anybody from down under care to comment?
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Prime minister calls on TV networks to curb slide in Australian manners, please
at 12:39 on January 31, 2006, EST.
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - A bit of decorum, please.
Prime Minister John Howard wants Australia's television networks to clean up their acts, bemoaning the "marked deterioration in good manners."
"I think there are certain vulgar expressions that have no place on television and if there's not some self-discipline exercised in that, I think standards will continue to deteriorate," Howard told reporters Tuesday.
Howard was speaking in support of a senior judge who used a speech to the Sydney legal fraternity Monday night to lament the prevalence of boorish behaviour and the lack of ordinary manners in Australian society where, he said, the words "please," "thank you" and "sorry" are all but extinct.
New South Wales state Chief Justice Jim Spigelman blamed the deterioration on a wide range of factors, including reality TV, which has been an ongoing concern for Howard's centre-right coalition.
Howard's communications minister in June last year ordered the country's television standards watchdog to look at Network Ten's fly-on-the wall series Big Brother to see if it breached a voluntary code of conduct that covers what networks can and can't air after complaints about scenes of full-frontal nudity.
The network responded with an apology for any offence caused.
Opposition Labour Party Leader Kim Beazley agreed Australians should respect each other but should also rejoice in being a laid-back society.
"I think we need to enjoy the fact that we live in a terrific community. We're a good, laid-back, tolerant community," Beazley said.
It all probably went downhill over there when they lost the ashes.
In all seriousness, I find the Aussies to be both positive and friendly....and very polite (when sober). A nice bunch of people.
Lord Ellpus wrote:....and very polite (when sober)
So most of the the time...
Buggered if I know.....
Lots are very polite.
I find SOME young people very ignorant....but I figured that was just me getting old.
I am intrigued, now that I use buses again, that almost everyone thanks the driver when they get off....but kids do not, generally, stand for old or infirm people.
Who knows?
Prolly in the eye of the beholder, or the luck of the draw.
dlowan wrote:...I find SOME young people very ignorant....but I figured that was just me getting old....
I'm sure one doesn't have to look very hard to find similar examples in any country.
Same here, Reyn. I think that basic politeness is not being taught to the young, by means of a good clip round the ear.
I showed disrespect to a grown up neighbour once, only once mind. Young people need good clear boundaries of acceptable behaviour, otherwise they will push all the way until they do what they like.
The biggest turn around, as far as I can see, is that a fair few parents now seem to give back up to their little darligs, no matter what they've done.
Classic....my wife called two parents in to discuss their daughters behaviour and language. Her various teachers had issued warning after warning to the girl, and had recorded what she had said in various lessons.
Better half (headteacher)..."and on thursday, she called Miss Thompson a f*cking b*tch, and on Friday, Mr Smith was called a total w*nker".
Parents.."Wha? You make us both f*cking take time off f*cking work to come in here and listen to this sh*t?"
Who'd be a teacher, eh?
i worked with an aussie for many years. still see him now on occasion(company retirees' luncheon).
a very polite and friendly fellow !
now i wonder, why would he have left australia for canada ? i'll have to ask him next time i see him.
hbg
oh god, I asked a social question about a different country on another thread, and someone hasn't spoken a word to me since.....
jeez rain, you're just the golden boy.
let's ask the aussies if they clip their nose hairs.
If you do it, they'll show you their brand new scissors.
Of grumpy old people?
Indeed!
Older people have castigated the manners of the young for millenia!
I met a young lass in Sydney, she was far from rude. I met another in Brisbane, she was the epitome of rude. So it goes.
one doesn't clip nose hair with scissors, doesn't everyone know that ?
one uses a battery-driven sort of twirly thing that can also rip out the inside of your nose, but one never uses scissors. hbg
Sorry, bunny.....nose fur.
Of course we're not rude, ya dodos!
How many times do I hafta tell yas!
WHAT nose fur?
Margo is rude.
You can just TELL that cat is swearing!
yer get what yer give mostly.
I deal (on another forum) with young people from several different nations.
The kids from southern America are (almost painfully) respectfull and polite. Yes sir, no ma'am.
The few scandanavians are also polite. please and thankyou are not a feature because it is not necessary culturally to say these words to be polite and respectfull.
The aussies kids are........... blunt. what you see is what you get, they say just because your older doesnt mean I should b polite and respectfull. Show me you deserve it first is the message i get from them.
yer get what yer give mostly.
I deal (on another forum) with young people from several different nations.
The kids from southern America are (almost painfully) respectfull and polite. Yes sir, no ma'am.
The few scandanavians are also polite. please and thankyou are not a feature because it is not necessary culturally to say these words to be polite and respectfull.
The aussies kids are........... blunt. what you see is what you get, they say just because you'r older doesnt mean I should b polite and respectfull. Show me you deserve it first is the message i get from them.
We heard ya the first time, ya barmy old coot . . .
Don't be . . .
I'm seriously disappointed, where's the legendary rude rejoinder to which i am entitled ? ! ? ! ?
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