Mateship matters more than gadgets
Paul Bibby
January 26, 2008
FORGET the stereotypical view of young Australians as iPod-toting internet junkies whose only interests are mobile phones, emo music and oversized sunglasses.
Australia's generation Ys value the simple things in life such as safety and mateship far more than material possessions or a comfortable lifestyle, according to the findings of a landmark national identity study.
Researchers from the University of Western Sydney asked 2500 15- to 25-year-olds what they cared about most in life and what it meant to be Australian as part of an continuing study into Australian identity.
And the results fly in the face of popular preconceptions about Australian youngsters.
The trappings of 21st-century life were far less important to young people than simply being able to walk down the street without fear, the survey found. Safety topped the list, followed by mateship, education and democracy.
"This is a generation who, with the click of a mouse, can see the conflicts going on around the world and I think that has produced an appreciation of living in a safe society," said the head researcher, Genevieve Nelson.
"These findings certainly appear to contradict the stereotypical view. The participants had a whole range of things to choose from - prosperity, loving the beach. But they just didn't rank as highly as safety, democracy, freedom of speech, and a just political system."
The survey suggested that the spirit of the Anzacs is alive and well among the young, with mateship and the notion of a fair go for all near the top of the list of important values.
"The way we defined mateship in the survey was a bit broader than just the Aussie digger idea; we were talking about friendships and peer relationships more broadly," Dr Nelson said.
"But the tradition clearly isn't dead within the Y generation. There is an appreciation of our Anzac and military history. Young people are talking about Gallipoli and Kokoda and the ideas of mateship and bonding together that come from those. It's something that carried through the generations."
Surprisingly, the survey contradicted the view that young people are more concerned about global warming and climate change than their parents are.
Coming in just below academic factors, the environmental category was given a very low importance rating by the young participants.
The only thing less important to young people, according to the survey, were cultural factors.
This result appeared to be part of a general trend away from multicultural values, with diversity also receiving a very low rating in the list of Australian values and reaching only number 11 on the list of important values in the young people's lives.
"That was a bit of a concerning finding there - it could support the notion of Australia being a less tolerant society," Dr Nelson said. "What we did find was that there was a small group among the participants who valued diversity, altruism and cultural factors very highly and rated patriotism low on the list."
The study is part of the first large-scale, intergenerational, cross-cultural exploration of Australian identity. Researchers hope to survey 10,000 Australians of all ages and cultures to get an up-to-date image of what it means to be Australian.
The survey registered its 5000th participant last week and, according to Dr Nelson, the bronzed Aussie image is taking a serious battering.
"Obviously the survey isn't finished yet, but I think it's fair to say the football-loving, beer-drinking, pie-eating Australian is a bit of an endangered species.
"Australia has evolved to become a sophisticated nation and that change has impacted on the way we see ourselves."
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