After a spate of violence as seemingly random as the recent street brawls in Melbourne, you can expect some pretty vigorous debate as to why exactly a sizable collection of humans decided to be absolute dickheads.
Their arguments’ defining factors were… well, about the groups’ defining factors. While other pollies have pondered the issue – looking at you, Bernardi – Andrews suggested the common theme wasn’t race, religion or cultural background. No sirree, it was a result of their low socio-economic background, or as Andrews called it, their lacking “economic integration”:
They were from many different backgrounds, it was their conduct. @DanielAndrewsMP #QandA https://t.co/UrykSGkw94
— ABC Q&A (@QandA) March 21, 2016
However, Ford identified an even broader contributing factor: there were seemingly very few females taking part in the shitshow, and that, she said, is a reflection of some dangerous masculine ideals represented in Australia:
“There’s a backlash against identifying it as coming from masculinity, and coming from a specific form of toxic masculinity as well. Obviously, men aren’t born being violent, but there is something I think in the society that we live in which breeds a sense of entitlement, a sense of retaliation”.
Does Australian culture have a problem with how young men mediate their disagreements? @clementine_ford #QandA https://t.co/Xh24C1zWpr
— ABC Q&A (@QandA) March 21, 2016
We’re willing to chalk it up to a little of column A, a little of column B, and a lot of garden-variety stupidity. The ability to have a decent discussion where uncomfortable views can be shared is an absolute bloody gift, though.
