Nick G.
Culture is one of the strands in the net of imperialism
in which countries like Australia are enmeshed.
The cultural products of imperialism convey the values
that reflect the needs of that system.
They are also a commercial product and strive to
monopolise the marketplace of ideas and entertainment.
Two
aspects of culture under imperialism
The culture of a country dependent on imperialism can
have two aspects.
To the extent that it apes the content of the dominant
imperialist culture it is thoroughly reactionary and should be opposed.
That is one possible aspect.
The other is positive to the extent that it keeps alive
an identity independent of imperialism, and is progressive in so far as it
promotes values that stand in opposition to those of the imperialists.
Progressive content is really quite rare because it is
also a reflection of class struggle within Australian cultural circles. The
upper hand under capitalism is always that of the dominant class.
(Above: May Gibbs' gumnut babies: a cultural reference point strikes for better clothing)
Occasionally one slips through the net, such as the
recent episode of the Doctor Blake Murder
Mysteries which was based around the pursuit of two Army deserters from
South Australia who had been stationed at Maralinga during the British atomic
tests.
One dies of radiation poisoning and the local coroner is
killed by two British Army officers sent to capture the absconders to keep the
lid on the atomic tests and their dangers.
They also attempt to murder the surviving victim who is covered in
hideous lesions and blisters from the fallout.
Skippy
grills Conroy
The old TV series Skippy
the Bush Kangaroo is another case in point.
It was a positive contributor to Australian children’s culture, giving
several generations of kids a set of cultural reference points that could not
be found in imperialist culture, and strengthening their identity as
Australians.
As a bush kangaroo, Skippy could hardly be expected to
articulate a proletarian viewpoint, but progressive values of mateship,
self-reliance and overcoming adversity were a focus for each episode.
Now Skippy has a new role.
He is the headline act in a campaign to urge the Labor
government to protect the Australian screen production industry.
An online petition directed at Communications Minister
Senator Conroy is introduced by a cartoon strip in which Skippy grills the
Senator about Australian TV content. It
was presented to Conroy last month.
Australian
Screens, Australian Stories
The “Australian Screens, Australian Stories” campaign is
being jointly organised by the Australian Directors’ Guild, the Australian
Writers’ Guild, Media Entertainment and Arts Alliance union and the Screen
Producers Association of Australia.
They are fighting against regressive legislation proposed
by Conroy under which multi-channels (eg Seven’s 7Mate and 7Two) will be
required to program at least 12% Australian content by 2015.
This is approximately half the amount of Australian
content they currently show. There is no
requirement for new productions, so they can meet their quota by endless
re-runs of sport and “reality” TV.
The legislation enables a retreat from content that
builds Australian identity in all of its diversity.
Objectively it serves imperialism by allowing its
cultural products to dominate the entertainment field.
It strengthens that part of the net which holds us in the
grip of imperialism.
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