[csaa-forum] RE: wanting to be effluent

[Amanda Wise]

As much as I'm appalled by the spread of Plasma TV mania and the
consumer credit frenzy it represents, I think the point needs to be made
about how we direct our angst. Why are we so worried for the former
working classes who've 'sold out' to the Plasma/Project Home world of
consumption yet not a word has been said about all those other consumer
classes.... what about the Leichhardt/Annandale renovators (insert your
capital city equivalents here), the Bondi million dollar semi-detached
cottages? The $10,000 leather lounge in the million dollar warehouse
apartment in Alexandria, overlooking the Redfern housing commission
flats? Maybe these people voted Liberal too. Why are the Mc Mansion
residents so much more guilty/responsible for the current state of
affairs? 

Be aware of the power/class/cultural capital distinctions we're drawing
on.

All that aside - I suppose one important challenge is indeed, (as some
have said on this list) to forge a new politics of affect/empathy among
these groups. Ie: What sorts of popular discourses might we generate
amongst the newly (and old) affluent groups that would produce an
empathetic, rather than antagonistic view of the genuinely struggling
workers out there, refugees, and so on... 

When I was researching/working with East Timorese refugees in western
sydney on the independence struggle I was continually amazed at the
level of participation among working and middle class anglo senior
citizens. There were compelled to action through the very active work of
a group of Catholic nuns who basically travelled the length and breadth
of Australia telling the East Timor story and bringing Timorese refugees
out to visit small Catholic parishes. Not many people know that a large
chunk of the funds for East Timor's independence struggle was raised by
white nannas in suburban and country Australia. The nuns understood the
power of 'empathy building' ...

That's our challenge - finding the right empathy building messages, the
kind that don't patronise, and finding the right means to get them out
there.

Amanda 

(and yes - I did say Chinese in Sylvania Waters. Indeed - there are
whole new classes of liberal voting migrants who even own Plasma TVs. I
remember my interviews with East Timorese in Western Sydney ... many of
whom had a key goal -to get out of Cabramatta and move to the new
housing estates around Liverpool. And most East Timorese would never
vote Labor - Whitlam is a dirty word to them - not suprisingly given his
cosy relationship with Suharto in '75)






-----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: Tuesday, 12 October 2004 3:39 PM
To: CSAA discussion list
Subject: Re: [csaa-forum] RE: wanting to be effluent

Sally

I am gonna let you take the heat for the Freedom Furniture stuff now...
But I agree with you on consumerism and the whole mania of conspicuous 
consumption which has swept the country and is driving me insane...
John

Sally Scott wrote:

>What a defensive barrage has been creative by allusions to Freedom
Furniture
>and fondue. Interestingly, for what it says about the discources of
cultural
>studies, I was using the list of aspirational accoutrements as symbols
of
>consumerism rather than class. That is, Australians, irrespective of
>suburbs, are more interested in what they can buy and when, rather than
>issues like education and health reform, refugees or workplace equity.
Are
>we consuming ourselves into an apathetic torpor? What significance does
this
>have for both the political process and the future of the Left (as
distinct
>from the Labor party)? (I understand my assumption here is that the
Left are
>less concerned with a consumer economy)
>
>There is a wonderful doco doing the rounds about the big corporates and
the
>many ways in which they are driving consumption - out of this all power
>leads to them. Where is our Left in this packet of Crispies?
>
>Sally
>
>
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