Our Flagging Enthusiasm

Learning Goal: To understand Leunig’s feelings about patriotism and feeling a connection to Australia

Important words

• Patriotism – noun - Patriot• Patriotic – adjective• Nationalism – noun• Nationalistic - adjective

= Belief that your country is superior to others

Draw up a PMI for national pride

Positive Minus Interesting

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts at patriotism?

1. We don’t take national symbols seriously:

• “nobody really seems to understand what it’s all about”

• “the national song, the national day and the national flag are all rather wonky and not up to the task of nationalism…[they regard them] not so much with awe, but rather a casual bemused affection, in the way that we may regard an eccentric uncle or peculiar spinster aunty.”

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts at patriotism?

• 2. The fact that we don’t take these things seriously, might actually be healthy:

“the failure of earnest nationalism to take root in Australia is a blessing that [provides]…a very special and delightful freedom”

“it is a sign of political health and great good fortune that these symbolic national devicescontinue to be slightly lame and pleasantly uninspiring”

• 3. It is because of our culture:

“the citizens of the southern land are inclined to be a shrugging, winking sort of people rather than the saluting kind”

“[we] don’t want nationalistic things to function too well – with the exception of sport”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QiAr3kZ3XUQ

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts at patriotism?

• 4. But there are exceptions, those who crave nationalism:

“there are those who take nationalism and its artefacts terribly seriously…with no shortage of flags and fulsome speeches to satisfy the strongest appetite for national identity”

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts at patriotism?

• 5. There are positives to having a national day:“sausage sizzles will draw the locals together… a gathering in the park to remind them that the details of nationhood are revealed most truthfully in

the ordinary local community”

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts at patriotism?

• 6. But still, it is our spiritual connection to the land that is most important:

“yorro yorro is the word – and it means… ‘the spirit in the land that makes everything stand up alive.’”“When you’ve got yorro yorro you don’t need a flag”

What does Leunig think of Australia Day and our attempts

at patriotism?

Return to your PMI – add any further points

Positive Minus Interesting

Should we love our country?

• What are the dangers of taking Australia Day too seriously? What does it lead to?

Positive?

Plus - for loving Australia

Loyalty to the nation More likely to aspire to the ‘Australian Ideal’ of giving people a fair go – working hard and receiving a fair rewardFight to defend the ‘Australian way of life’ Support for our sporting teams – bringing pride to our nation Sense of community/shared identity

Negative Nationalism

Minus

Creation of an ‘Us and Them’ situationIntolerance to other nationalities, cultures and religionsBlindly support the government’s decision to attack another country Racism A desire to supress minorities who are believed to not be conforming to the ideal Australian Stereotype

Interesting

• Can anyone claim to be truly Australian?• The slippery slope idea: Can we be a little bit

nationalistic? • Should anyone be proud of something they

had no choice in?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iw0MripVxss

Review: What do you think?

• Reflect on how you celebrate Australia, what the day means to you, and if your thinking about Australia Day and patriotism has changed at all. If so, what has made it change? If not, what drives your continuing belief?

Do you share any ideas with Leunig? Or others, such as George Carlin?