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Americanisation

You know, I see quite a few of these YouTube videos where Americans compare stuff to what happens in Australia. It is not these that peak my interest, but rather that the global Americanisation is so ubiquitous. Everything about modern life is largely the same in the western world. Have a think about the computer age and where that originated. The internet and social media are American inventions. Smart phones are a big part of this and they too are a US innovation. Beyond this, to more prosaic trends and think about working out, bigger muscles and tattoos. These too, are American cultural shifts, which occurred over the last couple of decades.Continue Reading

woman sitting on the floor with her hands on head

What a refreshing movie. The Woman King is wonderful stuff. I found myself cheering for the women and the Africans, as they won their battles against their male and European foes. History has often been depressing in its relentless exploitation of the noble savage and the female of the species. Watching a film where these folk finally get the upper hand was a welcome thrill. The depiction of the slave trade in Africa was a reminder of the horrendous role Europeans played in making their fortune in this manner. All too many of us, white, well fed Westerners put this stuff out of our thoughts, when it was really not that long ago.Continue Reading