If a traditional people hunted sea turtles and now sea turtles are endangered - stop fucking hunting sea turtles.
Yup. Traditions, ironically, are often held onto tighter when the world around appears to be changing.I'm a bit scathing of this because it's really just an arbitrary way of doing things that can be changed. How ridiculous to hold onto something BECAUSE 'its tradition's, even if, and especially, some people are disadvantaged, oppressed, or harmed by it.
Like, for eg, the whole Anzac thing here. What a debacle. It's become about myth making rather that remembrance), and any challenge to how we remember (like the black diggers who were ignored for years) is met with hostility because 'we have never done it that way before'. Or doubling down on an anthem or a flag that's only been around for a relatively short amount of time..people like to hold onto identities that make them feel important and that work for them, at the expense of others. It's the height of stupidity to me. Not everything needs changing, but if there's a challenge to how things are done, we need to ask why at least without getting all fucking mental about it.
We forget sometimes that there are many cultures on Hive and I'm often shocked by traditional attitudes toward woman. I usually say something as I can't help myself and feel by playing devil's advocate perhaps I can raise some questions or at least show not all the world thinks like that. And yes, woman can perpetuate them too, but I tend to think that's because there is no other option and they've been brainwashed BY the culture they're in.
Racism is traditional too, as is slavery, and women as property - should we hold onto it? Of course not, but people want to pick and choose the traditions that work for them, even if they do harm to others.
The numbers that went and died in the war were unknown, because they were largely unrecorded.
The flag thing irks me a bit. Firstly - I think Aus should be a republic. That aside - *it is just a flag. A picture. And the aboriginal flag? That is only about 50 years old. If a country has to have a flag, make a new one. A cool one - something with a dragon and lasers. :D
But, people need to feel "connected" to something and when it comes to images, they are simple ways to convey a lot of emotion and memory. They are a story. So I do get that people try to hold onto the story they know and like. But still...
And the men have been brainwashed too.
Yes! What about a bunyip?? If you're going to believe in a myth? Or a wombat, coz we were so fkn upset some tank picked one up. Or just get rid of the union jack and we can all happily sleep under the stars, surely?
Ah fuck - you have me here. I have been in Europe too long and their stupid mythical animals are stuck in my head. A bunyip would be awesome.
This has always been my first choice.