is America the new Rman Empire?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Phil

You actually believe that Australia would LIKE to be like America?!

Australian culture, and the experience that made it, are indeed similar to the American -- which is why Australians and Americans get on very well together. Consider that both are a fundamentally English society, with English expectations, transported to a very wide, hotter and drier land, with agrarian national beginnings and industrial development later -- both even have less than completely creditable relations with the indigenes. These leave similar stamps upon their peoples. Where American culture diverges from this is that it's more polyglot, each nation having taken respectively different paths there.

To use the "they're all descended from criminals" cliche displays a snobbery and unjustified attitude of superiority the world has come to expect from certain people in the US.

And it happens to be about as true in the US case as in the Australian -- see how the state of Georgia was founded. Nor, in either, did the influx end with the end of the penal colony -- what sustained both these nations was the continued seeking of improved opportunity.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Phil

You actually believe that Australia would LIKE to be like America?!
to use the "theyre all descended from criminals" cliche displays a snobbery and unjustified attitude of superiority the world has come to expect from certain people in the US.

Please remove the stick from your anal cavity.

A careful reading of my statement makes it clear that I was also refering to America's rather similar origins ... however, as nations we dealt with this different, America choosing to fight for independence, Australia remaining part of the British Empire.

[Phil]

Originally Posted by wolf

Please remove the stick from your anal cavity.

A careful reading of my statement makes it clear that I was also refering to America's rather similar origins ... however, as nations we dealt with this different, America choosing to fight for independence, Australia remaining part of the British Empire.

*hands you stick covered in shit*

you said they were jealous .... end of argument.

[wolf]

Originally Posted by Phil

*hands you stick covered in shit*

That happens to me about three times a week.

[Aliantha]

I never said I was feeling smug or self satisfied UT. I'm simply responding to the thread, and the fact is, to all intents and purposes, the US is the new empire - roman or any other kind. You could just as easily suggest the US is the new British Empire.

The fact is, there will always be one more powerful nation which builds it empire on that strength, and just as all the others have done before, the glory days will end. I don't believe any empire in history has been an empire for the good of the countries they absorb or anex or settle. There's always been something in it for them. That's what empire building is for.

Of course there are often benefits for the 'new' members of that empire, but history suggests that the benefits are usually outweighed by the losses of culture suffered due to the nature of empire building.

Then again, that depends whose perspective you're viewing it from. Some do not value culture as highly as others.

[Undertoad]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

I never said I was feeling smug or self satisfied UT.

Nobody says they feel smug or self-satisfied, they just act like... you.

[Aliantha]

I can guarantee you that 99% of Australians are very happy to be Australians and not Americans btw.

There's nothing to be jealous of.

[Aliantha]

Whatever you say UT.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Yielding to a temptation:

R. Lee Rman, centurion.

[Ibby]

Aussies are cooler than Americans, any day.

If there's jealousy, its the OTHER way around.

[Aliantha]

I can't believe I just read a post by UG without rolling my eyes!

It's a miracle. (sorry UG, but I'm sure you see the humour )

Ibram, I think most Aussies are pretty daggy (self included) actually, but if you think that's cool then that's ok. lol

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Miracles provided free of charge, roughly on a monthly to bimonthly basis.

(I mulled over the smilies. I can't pick one.)

[Aliantha]

Every one's a winner!

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Now you see my difficulty!

There's some justice in regarding Americans and Australians (alpha. order, nothing more!) as funny-talking versions of each other.

And both parties have been known to wear broadbrimmed hats -- with good reason!

[Aliantha]

There's no doubt that American's and Australian's have a lot of similarities in their cultural heritage both as settled countries and also as new nations (in so far as the history of the world goes). Australia doesn't have the climate or resources to support such a population as the US does though. Most of the country is inhospitable and not very pleasant to live in (for white fellas).

Our outlook is a bit different than a lot of other countries though. Maybe that's because of our youth. Still a bit carefree perhaps, but certainly worth knowing.