[csaa-forum] RE: wanting to be effluent

John Scannell diaspora at tig.com.au
Tue Oct 12 15:21:18 CST 2004


Hey Di

I was hoping that I didn't offend with my post - but you know that I 
really care...in my own weird way.

>John, I agree with your definition of white trash, and there are plenty
>in western Sydney, it's just that there are also a lot of people there
>whose feet just keep slipping off the first rung of the so-called
>aspirational ladder, and many who aspire only to keep food on the table
>and pay the electricity bill. 
>
That's right! That's who I perceive as Westies/Bogans...although my 
worry is when capitalism seems to let them down even thought they have 
played 'the game' they then find 'the church' - not our good old 
relatively benign institutions, ie back in the good old days when 
Catholics voted Labor and Protestants Liberal...but the whole go to 
McChurch buy the CDs we'll then tell you how to get a McMansion, which 
works for some, but not most.

>They may take howard's handouts to buy a
>computer or game-boy for the kids, but still hate him and not vote for
>him.  
>
Some of them may even be deported. Whingers.

>Many just couldn't bring themselves to vote Liberal.  I'm
>generalising, and the population of western Sydney is becoming more
>Affluent (I hate Kath & Kim too) and middle-class, there are many
>refugees and ethnic groups who are strongly fearful of communism and
>can't bring themselves to support even the quasi-socialism of Labor. Di
>  
>
True! I mean this is life in the 'advanced world capitalism' that Felix 
Guattari once referred. All the Michael Moore documentaries in the world 
are not gonna change that.
In the scheme of things, many Westies (who were once perhaps Wogs) have 
been cut down to size before and know there is not far to fall and tend 
to stay faithful to their roots, like whats left of the people I grew up 
with here in the inner city. I think that when the white trash 
consumerists cannot pay for their plasma TVs and the McChristian 
churches have sucked them dry, they too will be learning what some of 
the more marginalised have in the past. Internment camps notwithstanding.
That's what I mean by delusional.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: csaa-forum-bounces at darlin.cdu.edu.au
>[mailto:csaa-forum-bounces at darlin.cdu.edu.au] On Behalf Of John Scannell
>Sent: 12 October 2004 15:12
>To: CSAA discussion list
>Subject: Re: [csaa-forum] RE: wanting to be effluent
>
>
>Thanks Di
>
>As you recently saw my 'pasty' complexion you know I don't get out to 
>Werriwa as much as I'd like.
>I'll have to look at the electoral boundaries - so I can distinguish 
>properly between westies and white trash.
>Di - you are a perfect example actually - a Westie, but not white trash.
>This could be a potential chapter in your thesis...? 'I am a Westie but
>not White trash'
> - which also brings to mind the complexity of ethnicity in these salvos
>
>of blatant generality...
>Di - you should start plugging you book again!
>John
>
>
>
>Diane Powell wrote:
>
>  
>
>>John, Take a Westie's word for it, there are still millions of fibros 
>>in Werriwa and they remain a majority in all points west of Granville, 
>>and most of them still vote Labor.
>>
>>Di
>>
>>
>>John wrote: ..Is Mark Latham appealing to people in fibros? There are 
>>not many fibros around Werriwa now...plenty of what they call 
>>McMansions ala Hills district. Labor is gonna be pushing shit uphill...
>>
>>
>>
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>>
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