Behind or Ahead?
In many respects Australia seems a decade or two behind the US, but is this backward or forward? Shops generally close at 5 or 6 pm weekdays, by 4 if they are open on Saturday and are usually shut on Sundays. More foreign to me is the fact that many shops completely shut for a summer holiday during December and January. There might be a paper sign posted on the door saying, "back to business in February."
Is the convenience to which I've become accustomed a good thing or does it contribute to a lesser quality of life for all? I find myself frustrated that the method by which we pay our rent here is to take cash to our landlord's bank with a paper deposit book that the teller then signs as proof of payment, or that clothes dryers are rather non-existant so we must plan our washing around the weather. Everything takes more time, even turning on a light, since the electrical outlets have an on/off switch. I'd love to find a large food coop or a Trader Joe's so I could make one stop, but unless I'm content with Safeway, it's off to the markets for organic veggies, to the specialty butcher for free-range meats, to the bakery for bread. Not having a car exacerbates the time factor and highlights my consumer habits, as I can only purchase what I can carry, making it necessary for multiple trips, a good regulator for over-consumption.
Technologically speaking, I feel a bit like a time traveler. Taking the tram to the internet cafe to use their computers reminds me of being in India. It doesn't help that the cafe owner is Indian, or that the toilet facility there is simply an outhouse without toilet paper or a properly working sink (sanitation policy must be much more lax here as poor facilities are common). Don't think I'll order food there again, ugh. I finally found one that will allow me to plug in my lap top, and I did hear that there is a hot spot somewhere on campus but mention WIFI to most people even at the uni campus and they think I'm speaking another language.
So I've been wondering about this slower life, the European flavor, which in part I am sure is influenced by the huge Italian and Greek immigrant populations, but there is something else driving it as well. Is it that business is just less driven by the consumer and more by ethics? Is it just that convenience is less of a priority and if so, why?, or is it that the consumer is much less influenced by marketing?
It seems that the general populace is far more skeptical of advertising than in the US. I've seen posters and heard radio spots that challenge people to stop and question what they hear, think for themselves, beyond what the mainstream media provides, and there is a huge backlash against corporate advertising campaigns. Large billboards are so regularly defaced they may not be cost-effective. In fact the other day a guy was arrested nearby as he painted over a billboard in broad daylight, completely unphased by it all. This is normalcy.
When I first saw the extent of graffiti in this city I thought it a sign of social decline, but now I see otherwise. Street art is the advertising of the average joe, a forum for social commentary, and expression is highly valued. Where else on earth would South Park be shown in prime time on one of only 4 tv stations? A huge billboard near my house depicts Bush snorting a line of coke, and the abandoned warehouse down the street is colorful in both hue and language. I've become fascinated with it, and will upload some photos of some as soon as I am able.
My dial-up connection at home is painfully slow, which reminds me that I do think the lack of technological advancement may in part have to do with the high price point of telecommunications services. Everything including land lines, mobile phones and internet are charged by usage, no such thing as flat fees.
Another question I have is whether the trajectory of capitalism in an economic situation such as we have in the world today, necessarily leads to long work hours and over-consumption, etc. Will Australia head that way over the next decade or have they found a way to sustain a higher quality of life? We'll see.
Is the convenience to which I've become accustomed a good thing or does it contribute to a lesser quality of life for all? I find myself frustrated that the method by which we pay our rent here is to take cash to our landlord's bank with a paper deposit book that the teller then signs as proof of payment, or that clothes dryers are rather non-existant so we must plan our washing around the weather. Everything takes more time, even turning on a light, since the electrical outlets have an on/off switch. I'd love to find a large food coop or a Trader Joe's so I could make one stop, but unless I'm content with Safeway, it's off to the markets for organic veggies, to the specialty butcher for free-range meats, to the bakery for bread. Not having a car exacerbates the time factor and highlights my consumer habits, as I can only purchase what I can carry, making it necessary for multiple trips, a good regulator for over-consumption.
Technologically speaking, I feel a bit like a time traveler. Taking the tram to the internet cafe to use their computers reminds me of being in India. It doesn't help that the cafe owner is Indian, or that the toilet facility there is simply an outhouse without toilet paper or a properly working sink (sanitation policy must be much more lax here as poor facilities are common). Don't think I'll order food there again, ugh. I finally found one that will allow me to plug in my lap top, and I did hear that there is a hot spot somewhere on campus but mention WIFI to most people even at the uni campus and they think I'm speaking another language.
So I've been wondering about this slower life, the European flavor, which in part I am sure is influenced by the huge Italian and Greek immigrant populations, but there is something else driving it as well. Is it that business is just less driven by the consumer and more by ethics? Is it just that convenience is less of a priority and if so, why?, or is it that the consumer is much less influenced by marketing?
It seems that the general populace is far more skeptical of advertising than in the US. I've seen posters and heard radio spots that challenge people to stop and question what they hear, think for themselves, beyond what the mainstream media provides, and there is a huge backlash against corporate advertising campaigns. Large billboards are so regularly defaced they may not be cost-effective. In fact the other day a guy was arrested nearby as he painted over a billboard in broad daylight, completely unphased by it all. This is normalcy.
When I first saw the extent of graffiti in this city I thought it a sign of social decline, but now I see otherwise. Street art is the advertising of the average joe, a forum for social commentary, and expression is highly valued. Where else on earth would South Park be shown in prime time on one of only 4 tv stations? A huge billboard near my house depicts Bush snorting a line of coke, and the abandoned warehouse down the street is colorful in both hue and language. I've become fascinated with it, and will upload some photos of some as soon as I am able.
My dial-up connection at home is painfully slow, which reminds me that I do think the lack of technological advancement may in part have to do with the high price point of telecommunications services. Everything including land lines, mobile phones and internet are charged by usage, no such thing as flat fees.
Another question I have is whether the trajectory of capitalism in an economic situation such as we have in the world today, necessarily leads to long work hours and over-consumption, etc. Will Australia head that way over the next decade or have they found a way to sustain a higher quality of life? We'll see.
posted by Dharma Mama at 6:17 PM
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