h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is it really that bad?
For instance, it seems to me that Mel Gibson has been an Australian influence on Hollywood. His irreverent anarchism is ,to me, very Australian. Your Aussie actor went to Hollywood and won there!. That's something positive to promote.
If you want kids to identify with Australia they need something positive to get their interest. Buy Australian because its made in Australia and for no other reason isn't enough. The "Buy British" campaign never worked.
Scotland has maintained it's identity against English culture for centuries. Despite being governed and having the school syllabus, history in particular, being determined in England. Scottish culture has kept up to date and alive. It has a very strong traditional roots but hasn't become "preserved".
What exactly is Australian culture offering to those three kids? Not that what the teenagers identify with is necessarily that important. Teens are a weird and irrational lot on the whole. (For any teenagers reading this - we wouldn't want to be without you .)Maybe what matters is the image Australia presents to its preteens and what it has to offer its adults.

I am not Australian, but I have spent a fair amount of time there. And to me it seems that the Australians, despite being a very young country have developed quite a "strong" culture. I think it is kind of an "oucast" culture, this is NOTmeant bad. I think it just comes from the location of your country. I also found it a bit hard to get into it at first, but after adapting a bit I felt very comfortable. i mean you have everything you need your own slang words, sports, views on the world and whatnot.
And now to the point of the subject. Erm... the influence of the USA can be fellt anywhere I reckon, sometimes more, sometimes less. Regarding the influence on OZ, I think that Australia is a bit like the small brother trying to become like hid older brother. It is a young country, so it can easily adapt to changes. On the other hand the thing is not that bad at all. if you look at Europe, the countries there are so old and inflexible that France has even issued a law against using english terms in the language... And with the planet becoming more and more of a village, I think this is ridiculious.
But I am wondering of topic here... the USA have a great deal of influence on Germany as well (thats where I am from), now can you imagine how stupid it sounds if somebody says something to you in your mother tongue, but about 70% of the words used originate from somewhere else?

So my magnificient conclusion is that adapting things from another country is not that bad, but we still have to take care of our cultures...

Chili

This is such a common misconception - that Mel Gibsen is an Australian. He was born to American parents in America. He grew up some (if not most) of his youth there. He lived in Australia as a young man, studying at NIDA (National Institute of Dramatic Arts) in Sydney, and did some plays. He also did some Australian films before going back to Hollywood to raise a family.

So - the question is - why do Australians insist on calling him a "home grown Aussie", or "Australia's own Mel Gibsen"

(BTW, I am an Aussie myself, in case anyone takes issue with this)

I didn't know that. You can say tho' that he learnt his trade in Australia. And that the Australian film industry gave him his start. But you're right, you can hardly call him home grown.

Are there any other famous actors in Hollywood, who have spent at least part of their youth in Australia?
Not as far as I know... that is the reason...

Chili

How about Heath Ledger now, or Nicole Kidman?

And I do think the situation is pretty bad, because although Australians in America have an influence over there, Americans do not even have to live here to cause wholesale change (for better or for worse) in our society.

Needless to say, I don't like globalisation - it creates a boring, single worldwide culture.