• zero_gravitas@aussie.zone
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      2 days ago

      I assume they’re referring to the fact that moniker of ‘the lucky country’ was originally intended as a perjorative:

      from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lucky_Country

      The title has become a nickname for Australia[1] and is generally used favourably, although the origin of the phrase was negative in the context of the book.

      Horne’s intent in writing the book was to portray Australia’s climb to power and wealth based almost entirely on luck rather than the strength of its political or economic system, which Horne believed was “second rate”. In addition to political and economic weaknesses, he also lamented on the lack of innovation and ambition, as well as a philistinism in the absence of art, among the Australian population, viewed by Horne as being complacent and indifferent to intellectual matters. He also commented on matters relating to Australian puritanism, as well as conservatism, particularly in relation to censorship and politics.