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Where You Been? December 13, 2000 In light of how irregularly this e-zine gets updated, we've decided to make the 'Where You Been?' a regular column - that is, about as 'regular' as one can be with such a lethargic update schedule as ours. If we're talking regularity, then when it comes to this zine, break out the All Bran cause we need a fibre booster. Yummy stuff aside, where the hell have we been all year? Well, between our last update (yes, April) and this, a certain little bit of fun and frivolity swept through this zine's town and stirred things up a bit. We are, of course, referring to the 2000 Olympic Games. And after showering the seriously fair town of Sydney in global attention for 2 weeks, let us tell you, Sydney is never going to be the same again. And this is a good thing. National pride in this country is a contradiction in terms. It takes something like the Olympics Games to convert apathy into "OzzieOzzieOzzie!" (and WOW are we sick of hearing that now). Tall Poppy Syndrome. In Australia, it's an epidemic. What is it? It is the cutting down those who stand out from the crowd, so that we can all happily reside in mediocrity together. So that no-one feels pressured to work too hard or to really achieve anything. In this country, taking pride in your own achievements is considered arrogant. Oustranding achievement is berated by others, deemed something to be ashamed of. Knowledge - passion - expressions of individuality... aspirations toward such things are all knocked out of the happless Aussie at an early age, and the people who survive become the truly remarkable characters - as is probably true of any culture. Sport is the only arena in Australia in which success is commended, not condemned. Sportspeople are the only ones praised for their high achievement. And should scandal expose one of 'our sporting heroes' as being imperfect, or god forbid corrupt, then the community, the media, all rush to forgive and forget. Nothing can topple that pedestal. After a farcical referrendum for Republic which could have been this country's first step towards real integrity, it seems obvious that the one thing that could possibly unite this country in the face of the international spotlight was sport. And, should Australia follow through on its own momentum, the 'spirit' ignited by the Olympics rolling into town could still be that first step. This country could evolve into something truly (inter)national. This country could grow a pair and hang 'em out occasionally should a challenge arise. In the spirit of none of the above, this issue of serious actually features our first international submission. But don't hold that against it - Nancy Muldoon's Not Enough Water speaks across that great ocean divide, especially since thanks to this wonderful technology, the annoying sentiments of an Aussie zine can reach your computer loud and clear. So yeah. Maybe take this as encouragement to write to us with your own 2 cents about popular culture today: seriousness@hotmail.com. Just don't ask us when the next update is. s e r i o u s [ Back ] F I L M | I D I O T B O X | U S |