A Twitter thread has emerged online that is unpacking all of the scams and myths that we’ve been lead to believe here in Australia, and my God there really is a lot of things that truly aren’t amazing about Down Under.
The thread was started by writer Elias Jahshan, who asked Twitter: “What’s something that’s clearly a scam but Australian people have been conditioned to believe it’s ‘normal’?”
Already there have been tonnes of responses, with people listing off the things that they feel they have been conditioned to support in Australia. Honestly, some of these answers had me thinking twice about what goes on here.
What’s something that’s clearly a scam but Australian people have been conditioned to believe it’s “normal”?
— Elias Jahshan | الياس جهشان (@Elias_Jahshan) December 6, 2020
I’ll start: Australia Day.
— Elias Jahshan | الياس جهشان (@Elias_Jahshan) December 6, 2020
First off, the big doozy, Australia Day. Probably one of the biggest scams that a lot of us have been supporting for decades, despite the very clear problems that surround it.
Given the years of discussion around changing the date of this day, it’s safe to say that we should no longer be celebrating something as shameful as colonialism.
The “Lucky” in the book title was sarcastically intended pic.twitter.com/6TOylX8Zmb
— ???????????????????? ???????????????????????? (@peterbayley) December 6, 2020
For years we’ve run this myth that we’re ‘the lucky country’, despite the whole phrase coming from a book that called Australia that sarcastically. Yikes.
Multi-million dollar church organisations receiving tax free status. Worshippers of said orgs without morals, values or goodness.
— Lel (@lel0601) December 6, 2020
Speaks for itself really. Let’s stop supporting this for good <3.
The vilification of asylum seekers. They are not illegals or queue jumpers or economic refugees
— Clare ⚡️???????? (@claregarry6) December 6, 2020
Truly Australia is not the only country guilty of this, but alas, we definitely still have a problem around vilifying and othering people.
Melbourne Cup holiday. Public holiday for a horse race.
— Fab Scalia ????????????️???? (@MichaelScalia86) December 6, 2020
Ahh yes, the Melbourne Cup. Let’s all give that a big ‘ol no thanks.
Supermarkets not selling alcohol
— Daniel Zennon (@dzennon) December 6, 2020
Just merge those Liquorland and BWS stores with the supermarkets already.
The governer general – we are told his role gives him powers to intervene and remove government – ignores corruption never seen doing anything beyond ribbon cutting
— rach (@gypsychick76) December 6, 2020
The governor-general… love that person. I can definitely name them right now for you, and recall the last time I saw them do something. Great person.
English muffins. In England, no one has heard of them.
And yes also, much more seriously, Australia Day.
— Ginger Gorman ???? (@GingerGorman) December 6, 2020
As someone who grew up on English muffins, which usually came with British flags and art on them, this information has shaken me.
A fair go
— Jim (@itslikejimsaid) December 6, 2020
The good old scam idea of a fair go. In three letters this Twitter user captured the biggest scam of them all.
Half empty packets of chips
— Simone (@simone_au) December 6, 2020
Now, someone needs to do something about this one, because it is a PROBLEM.
Australian ‘culture’. I don’t know what it is without eliminating large portions of the population.
— Yeah, but no. (@DisyDucati) December 6, 2020
It’s hard to really pinpoint what on Earth Aussie culture is, and why it’s current definitions are almost explicitly exclusionary.
