I often wonder why Australia is not a very intellectually curious country. Also I often ponder as to why Australians like to cut down tall poppies. Although there is not an easy answer to this, perhaps Australia's reluctance to understand Autism or eccentricity can be traced back to its origins. When you look at the first fleet who arrived in Botany Bay in 1788 they were the very lowest ebb of English Society. They were rough, profane and crude in their conduct and perhaps as Australia was a penal colony, especially Brisbane which was a convict outpost for convicts that re-offended you can begin to understand why perhaps Australia has a tall poppy syndrome. The "Tall Poppy Syndrome" as I understand it is when persons who aspire to make something of life or perhaps dare to show incentive, are immediately cut down in order to not rise above society in general. Perhaps this is why sadly so many people either move elsewhere or simply just give up. It seems to be something that has become entrenched in Australian Society, more so in the states of Queensland, Western Australia and Tasmania. Victoria and New South Wales the larger and more wealthy states, with the larger population may not as be as fiercely parochial. I cannot understand why people get so hung up over drawn lines that designate one portion of land to another. Furthermore, why do Australians particularly in New South Wales and Queensland have so much an obsession with Rugby League? Also swearing and rough behaviour and drinking excessively is probably due to the inability to use words to convey or express situations, so swear words are more of a crude measure.
Often you find people in Australia are not really in general intellectually curious and those that are tend to be in the minority. If you suggest things that don't work or perhaps need to be improved, people I find often criticise or distance themselves from you more so than take on board your comments in order to make necessary changes. Perhaps the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" is also evident in people being afraid to be intellectually curious for fear of being ridiculed. The Rugby League Culture is one of interest in that Australians idolise these Rugby Players when most of them do not seem to have much in the way of acting and thinking responsibly, which probably is why they are idolized for if not then they would threaten the status quo by possessing a level of intellectual attributes. I also find it interesting that the majority of men on the sporting field hug each other and this is acceptable but when displayed at an airport or other venues, then it is a completely different matter. Aren't they themselves contradicting their own views and prejudices? Perhaps there is an underlying homophobia in some sporting players and having study the Sociology of Sport at university, sport in Australia was one area I covered. I also find that if you differ in your way of thinking or perhaps display eccentric characteristics that people are often defensive towards you more so than wanting to engage in a meaningful and intellectual debate. I have always noticed that within the Australian School System that if a child is bright, especially a male if he excels in English then he has to also be good at sport and the same to a less extent for females. If you go around Australia, I could be wrong but the more north you go, the more rough and bogan like some people become. The more south you go, it is a different equation. Will Australia ever at a federal level adopt or accept Autism, I think the only answer to this will be to answer this question in say another 50 to 100 years.
If you make a generalisation about the Australian States here is a possible scenario
New South Wales - Australia's First Penal Colony with free settlers arriving in or around the early 1830's Sydney - Largely Penal Colony with free settlers arriving later but perhaps mainly pastoral and land owners.
Victoria - Penal Colony but also Gold Rush made Victoria prosperous, wealthier people perhaps arrived in the colony as money was made from Gold. Melbourne more like a European Capital
Queensland - Agricultural with Sugar Cane and rougher or more resistant people moved more northwards who could handle excessive heat and humidity. Brisbane and Sydney both similar in that Brisbane a penal colony which originally had to separate from New South Wales in 1859 due to tyranny of distance from Sydney. Also division between north and south as Brisbane is too far south to administer such a large area. Mining also like New South Wales but not much Gold like Victoria
South Australia - Free Colony with some English nobility and free settlers arriving. Perhaps more open minded and educated which is why South Australia has so many churches in Adelaide. Also South Australia largely desert and a focus of free settlers and independent thinkers in Adelaide
Western Australia - Perth a penal colony for a short period then a lot of engineers influenced Western Australia. A lot of mines and similar to Queensland in terms of distance.
Tasmania - Penal Colony in Port Arthur and a lot of working class people dominated Tasmania perhaps. Tasmania had some British influence as similar climate but slightly warmer to Britian
New Zealand - Free settlers but New Zealand seems more agricultural similar to Queensland without the rough colonists or convicts.
Hopefully in time the situation will improve and any backwardness or complacency will soon move on. If Australia is to become more of a prosperous nation, then attitudes surely need to change. Despite the country being so far from the rest of the world, an 8 hour flight from Singapore to Brisbane or Sydney or a 14 hour flight from San Francisco or Los Angeles as western countries, clearly shows the reality of isolation and perhaps the core of complacency.
The way I see the "Tall Poppy Syndrome" is that people who achieve, inspire, show incentive, dare to be different are just cut down and if attitudes don't change, Australia is never going to prosper. Hopefully complacency and change will soon become both endemic and entrenched in Australian Society. If people do not agree with what I write in my post and in general they reserve their right but quite frankly I don't really care as what I write are my own thoughts and feelings about what I see around me. I believe Australia could be a more prosperous nation but perhaps more positive assertion needs to be applied. Quite simply either Australia or the politicians need a good kick up the butt to get things done! I also think that the state parochialism needs to go because we are all Australian!!!!
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