The Unknown Known

This concept added by Slavoj Zizek to Donald Rumsfeld's ideas about understanding our place within the universe and the societies in which we have constructed got me thinking about what category I fall under as a white Australian middle class male.

It is an inherent understanding within Australian culture that "Australian's" are unique for their unusual sense of humour. It is often the darker things in life, the tougher times or the pressure environments that perpetuate jokes, laughs and cynical sarcasm which act as a vent or release from the reality of ones actual situation. Of course this is not the sole purpose for telling jokes however if you look at the stereotypical Aussie larrikin its root stem from tough times such as the Convicts, WW1/2 ANZAC digger attitudes as well as the Great Depression.

During these times it is easier to get through them if you can have a laugh at your own expense (take the Mickey out of yourself). This has become apart of Australian culture, it is not necessarily taught, but there is an underlining social pressure to not be offended by a joke at your own expense. It is un-Australian and therefore it is expected that within Australia others coming to live here must live by the same unwritten laws of humour.

My feeling is that there are a number of problems that arise from these social pressures of the Aussie Larrikin. It poses a problem particularly within racist jokes or slants. Often Australian’s are in denial about being a racist nation because many opt to hide behind the banner of being funny, just pulling your leg, good-natured banter etc. In edition if somebody is offended by a joke at their own expense they are also Accused of being Un-Australian, which further ostracises them from our society.

In my opinion you can categorise this kind of racism in the same way as Rumsfeld.
• Those who know they are being racist (and it is their intension)
• Those who are aware that there are potentially boundaries between humour and racism but gage it based upon their own perspective (meaning if they are white middle class Australians they gage whether or not they would take offence and perhaps don’t fully consider the culture they are targeting)
• And those who are completely ignorant to the fact that the understanding of humour as a social pressure can perpetuate racial problems even know they are aware that there is such a thing as a racist joke.

In many ways this inherent clash between our culture and others that is not unspoken but must remain under the safe banner of good Aussie humour which is tied up in Australian identity. It's potentially this attitude that condones small doses of racism, and if challenged humour would not be the problem it would be deemed as something else in order to preserve and maintain our Larrikin heritage.

Luke Turner
September 19, 2010 10:25 PM