The Aussie Bloke, and other cultural wonders

I've decided to keep my posts to one topic per post, so as to keep some semblance of order to the place (hey, I'm just that neat), hence the second post in one sitting.

I've spent the last two Saturdays helping out at a local charity bookstore. Being surrounded by library books which for whatever reason have been discarded by Brisbane City Council libraries is actually rather peaceful, although it does give a frightening insight into the kinds of absolute crap people in this city are reading. If I see another full-to-the-brim box of Mills and Boon romance novels (and I use the term 'novel' very loosely) I think I may retch. How nice to know that this wonderful series, which consists of well over 600 volumes is conveniently categorised into regular, historical, and ahem, medical romance. Medical romance? The last thing that comes into mind when I've been in hospital is thoughts of candlelit dinners and romantic walks down the hospital isles with my surgeon. Grrr... but I digress. Aside from the wonders of travelling to a depressing little suburb called Nundah to sort and shelve chick lit, sci-fi, far too many diet books, I have discovered the wonder that is the Aussie Bloke.

Now, since arriving in this wonderful country almost 5 years ago, I have met many Aussie Men, Aussie Guys, and Aussie Boys, and while I thought I had encountered a few Aussie Blokes in the singleted, beer-drinking folk I encountered when I ventured out of the city, I have now realised, that an encounter with a true Aussie Bloke is charachterised by a sense of wonderment and amusement, tempered by an overwhelming feeling of horror. You see, this charity bookstore employs a number of people who are carrying out community service. Some are lovely people. And some are Aussie Blokes. Over the course of the day, I was amazed to meet 2 Blokes in particular who really personified the term. As I listened to their conversation (and attemped communication myself), I heard the topic of women being dicussed in ways that really did make me want to retch, as though the romance novels weren't enough.

"Ain't no chook gonna make me chase after her."
"Yeah, me missus can suck the balls off'n a bullock."
Over the illustration on the cover of a romance novel: "Yous don't see chicks lookin like this anymore, huh. Nice jawline. Good range."
"Could never go for a coloured chook myself, but would be nice to nail one up!"

There was more, but I think my mind has blocked it out to protect me from further damage. Really, the level of detail these two went into on the topics of women, gay men, asian-australians, and Aboriginals was absolutely disgusting and beyond anything I had ever heard before. The really scary thing is that while I've always associated racism, bigotry, and horrific views of woman to be the domain of ignorant old men too embedded in their fear and hatred to change their views, these two men were in their twenties. They had grown up in the same generation of equality, anti-discrimination legislation, and integration, yet they still hold these twisted views of the world.

It makes me sad and angry that these men could be tolerated and even encouranged by a civilised society. But what could I do? I sent them off to sort the childrens' educational books. Hopefully the bright colours and large text will stimulate them to read something, anything, and maybe learn a little about the world outside of the mind of an Aussie Bloke.