the philosophy

Being Australian is about...

» 'what happened' and 'what happens' - not 'what it means'
» listening to people rather than telling them
» treating ordinary people as 'experts' of the topic of Australian life
» making recorded experiences available to others in many forms
» promoting awareness as a basis for shared knowledge and understanding
» sharing experiences without the burden of opinion and debate

Being Australian is not about

» Australian "values" and "national identity"
» Fixing, changing or forcing points of view
» Lecturing, advocating or lobbying

What are we looking for:

»  Images and short descriptions from Australians, visitors and travellers alike showing experiences they have that seem Australian
»  Bite-size snapshots of life for presentation to anyone curious about 'Australian' life
»  Depictions of personal expeirences as the basis of documentary film, music and classroom projects

from anyone anywhere with an experience to share for themselves through experiences that people associate with life as Australians or as visitors and travellers encountering Australia anywhere in the world
»  reverses the direction of information in the conversation about
»  unvarnished descriptions that give people a unique way of experiencing all things 'Australian' through the eyes of

A simple approach, Being Australian:

• Makes regular people of all nationalities the subject-matter experts on what is 'Australian'
• Democratizes the conversation people have about themselves as a community and nation
• Rigorously sidesteps questions of national identity, cultural symbolism, and political futures
• Gives people a way to share something important to them immune from debate by treating people's experiences as fact not opinion
• Makes ordinary people teachers of others about how life is experienced in Australian contexts
• Attracts simple examples of Australian experience from Australians, visitors and travellers alike
• Presents snatches of life in ways that can inform, entertain and inspire conversation, learning and fun
• Gives people something to talk about when they may have nothing else in common with each other
• Promotes mutual awareness which can enhance empathy even among people who may never meet
• Champions gritty authenticity and unabashed self-expression
• Highlights the breath and universality of the 'Australian' experience among people of many backgrounds
• Enables people to experience a sense of belonging in an 'Australian' context
• Provides people with a way of reclaiming a sense of something shared that adds value to life in Australia
• Transform the relationship people have with each other as witnesses to the 'Australian' experience