Lifting Australia’s retirement age happened with little protest. But it hits some more than others: especially Indigenous men and women, and tens of thousands of older people pushed onto JobSeeker.
No, they’re right. Speaking as an Australian protester - we have a very conformist culture here. We haven’t been taught to imagine outside the status quo, it’s why Yank flavour and Neoliberal policies get pushed uncritically here. We’re sectioned off in the little castles of our homes - we have to seek out any form of community that isn’t our workplaces in the first place, let alone subversion, let alone (toothless and state captured) protest, let alone direct action and informed praxis.
We might have once, but the majority of Australians don’t know shit about anything that isn’t themselves. We might want to look out for ours - but that circle is very small for mainstream Australia and you bet your ass that’s manipulable by wealthy interests.
Not all of us, but the majority of us are spineless people terrified we’re not safe enough.
No, they’re right. Speaking as an Australian protester - we have a very conformist culture here. We haven’t been taught to imagine outside the status quo, it’s why Yank flavour and Neoliberal policies get pushed uncritically here. We’re sectioned off in the little castles of our homes - we have to seek out any form of community that isn’t our workplaces in the first place, let alone subversion, let alone (toothless and state captured) protest, let alone direct action and informed praxis.
We might have once, but the majority of Australians don’t know shit about anything that isn’t themselves. We might want to look out for ours - but that circle is very small for mainstream Australia and you bet your ass that’s manipulable by wealthy interests.
Not all of us, but the majority of us are spineless people terrified we’re not safe enough.