Michael Warners article 04/12/24. How woke and hypocritical the afl has become.

[Oscarman]

What does he define as woke?

I'd expect everything his boss Mr Murdoch tells him is

 

[Bunk Moreland]

You don't think that Australian Venue Co were, at minimum, engaging in a little virtue-signalling toward their employees?

I've written this elsewhere before, but I'll summarise again. I spent a very long time in the mining industry and the virtue-signalling in the last 15 or so years of my career before I retired became ridiculous. I won't bore you with examples but it was base hypocrisy at its finest.

My thoughts at the time were - my opinion is my own. You do not, as my employer, have the right to force your cynical opinion politics down my throat. You are not my conscience.

My bet is someone in AVC thought pretty much the same as me and forwarded the "internal email" on to journalists.

I very much doubt that any of the nasty horrible media corporations have to look too hard to find anyone who REALLY hates this sort of mindless virtue signalling, which is what it is IMO.

I won't go anywhere near one of their pubs again, for more than one reason. And it's my choice. And the lovely thing about it being my choice is I only need to justify that choice to one person.

No. Part of the issue is that this movement has made it so that absolutely any progressive act whatsoever is now labelled as “virtuous” and if you dare take part you get labelled as a “virtue signalling elite”.

(Quite funny when you consider where all the true elites - the billionaires - are on it. Again, it remains staggering to me that some people have fallen in behind them on this shit).

Changing the date of Australia Day… and not even changing it, so little as just not putting up a bunch of Aussie flags or whatever (!) isn’t a virtuous act. It’s a minor piece of courtesy. It makes zero difference and doesn’t disadvantage anybody.

Yet in a confected culture war it must be labelled and weaponised.

Jeez, if there were reparations or land reclamation or something on the table id at least understand it as there’d be something of value to lose.

But this sort of shit? It’s all a facade, it’s all a scam, it’s all a diversion.

 

[Gavin Excell]

No. Part of the issue is that this movement has made it so that absolutely any progressive act whatsoever is now labelled as “virtuous” and if you dare take part you get labelled as a “virtue signalling elite”.

(Quite funny when you consider where all the true elites - the billionaires - are on it. Again, it remains staggering to me that some people have fallen in behind them on this shit).

Changing the date of Australia Day… and not even changing it, so little as just not putting up a bunch of Aussie flags or whatever (!) isn’t a virtuous act. It’s a minor piece of courtesy. It makes zero difference and doesn’t disadvantage anybody.

Yet in a confected culture war it must be labelled and weaponised.

Jeez, if there were reparations or land reclamation or something on the table id at least understand it as there’d be something of value to lose.

But this sort of shit? It’s all a facade, it’s all a scam, it’s all a diversion.

The reality is the Liberal Party doesn't have many policies other than culture wars

 

[parsons nose]

It’s a social phenomenon that will pass. Future generations will study it at length and pose questions such as; How was is it that the concept of a level playing field was resisted by so many? And. Why did society turn their attention to those lower in the pecking order rather those higher in the pecking order when venting their frustrations? And. How is it that empathy was seen as vice instead of a virtue?

 

[SSwans2011]

Anyone that cares about any of this shit needs to go touch some grass. If it makes other people feel more included and does NOTHING to impact your life (like please, explain to me how ANY of these AFL initiatives have any impact on you), you'd have to be absolute flog to have an issue with it.

12kilos and Dan you're probably realising about now that Bigfooty is leftie dominant lol. I realised this year's ago.

Tagging people into a thread to echo your sentiments because you're upset people don't agree with your POV is one of the sadder things I've seen on here.

Right after another anti-woke (whatever that means) culture war mudslingers was banging on about "groupthink" hahahaha.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

For me, the main problem is the abundance of gambling advertisements which ultimately targets children and families, whom remain the primary audience for AFLs 'product'.

1000 % and for some reason the afl don't care about changing it.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

No. Part of the issue is that this movement has made it so that absolutely any progressive act whatsoever is now labelled as “virtuous” and if you dare take part you get labelled as a “virtue signalling elite”.

(Quite funny when you consider where all the true elites - the billionaires - are on it. Again, it remains staggering to me that some people have fallen in behind them on this shit).

Changing the date of Australia Day… and not even changing it, so little as just not putting up a bunch of Aussie flags or whatever (!) isn’t a virtuous act. It’s a minor piece of courtesy. It makes zero difference and doesn’t disadvantage anybody.

Yet in a confected culture war it must be labelled and weaponised.

Jeez, if there were reparations or land reclamation or something on the table id at least understand it as there’d be something of value to lose.

But this sort of shit? It’s all a facade, it’s all a scam, it’s all a diversion.

I think people are confusing separate issues.

Doing all of those things is good because it includes marginalised groups and that's all beneficial.

But let's not think for a second that the afl is doing this out of any desire to help anyone. They are simply doing it as a money spinning marketing tactic. If they really cared about any groups suffering in society they would do all of these things you suggest they do AND ban gambling advertising (they are not mutually exclusive issues they have the capacity to do both) but they have no interest at all in the latter which shows their true colours.

You can be all for inclusion yet at the same time blast the afl for its lack of credibility and call for better leadership but these boards miss that issue. And then we wonder why the afl never changes. It's at least in part because we don't focus enough on the gambling issue to demand them to change.

 

[ferball]

You do realise that there's not actually a 'left' and a 'right' yeah?

That's correct. Both of your hands are in the middle.

What they're doing there is anyone's guess.

 

[Elixuh]

Woke is using a bundle of picks in the 40s to draft Levi Ashcroft.

 

[ferball]

That's interesting about Welcome to Country

The liberal party ended the White Australia policy, welcomed Vietnamese boat people and enacted Gough's land rights legislation without a quibble.

Its almost impossible to believe today.

 

[Lavender Bushranger]

The reality is the Liberal Party doesn't have many policies other than culture wars

There is some truth to this.

That's why we're suddenly seeing Sky News dedicate air time to US politics. In Australia, religion is a relatively minor issue. In the US - it's pretty much everything when it comes to politics.

So if they can generate false comparison's with what's happening over there, and provide their viewers with some misguided sense of validation - then they may be able to trick their into buying deeper into this culture wars nonsense.

Religion in the US decides elections. Thankfully here, as much as Andrew Bolt and Tony Abbott and these hardcore religious kooks want it to - it isn't the case.

Without religion driving the base, out Liberal party here doesn't have much to work with.

Would they dare go anti-abortion? Can they link immigration to 'white christians will no longer be allowed to pray if we don't stop immigration'?
Are people here convinced that God will solve the climate thing?
Are people here anti-trans cause the bible says there's only dudes and chicks?

Without religion being the driver behind those political viewpoints, they don't have much support.

So it's a tough gig for the Liberals to be relevant.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

The reality is the Liberal Party doesn't have many policies other than culture wars

*any

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Inequality in Australia 2024: Who is affected and how? shows the average household wealth of Australia’s highest 10% growing much faster than the lowest 60%, from $2.8 million to $5.2 million (an 84% increase) over the past 20 years. Meanwhile, the average wealth of the lowest 60% has risen from $222,000 to $343,000 (a 55% per cent increase).

Nearly half (45%) of the increase in household wealth since 2003 went to the highest 10% (those with at least $2.6 million) and half of this increase to wealthy older people (over 64 years).

Wealth inequality is also growing among households aged under 35, even though they hold just 5% of all wealth. The average wealth of the highest 10% under 35 rose from $928,000 to $2 million (an increase of 126%) since 2003. At the same time, the average wealth of the lowest 60% of younger households – largely excluded from home ownership – rose just $68,000 to $80,000 (39%).

Wealth gap widening: new report

A UNSW Sydney and ACOSS partnership report has revealed the latest wealth and income inequality data.

www.unsw.edu.au

The LNP / News Ltd / corporate backers:

“Woke!”

“Genders!”

“Australia Day!”

“Virtue signalling!”

“Welcome to Country!”




It’s all a big scam. Ronald Reagan started it and it’s still going strong.

 

[parsons nose]

There is some truth to this.

That's why we're suddenly seeing Sky News dedicate air time to US politics. In Australia, religion is a relatively minor issue. In the US - it's pretty much everything when it comes to politics.

So if they can generate false comparison's with what's happening over there, and provide their viewers with some misguided sense of validation - then they may be able to trick their into buying deeper into this culture wars nonsense.

Religion in the US decides elections. Thankfully here, as much as Andrew Bolt and Tony Abbott and these hardcore religious kooks want it to - it isn't the case.

Without religion driving the base, out Liberal party here doesn't have much to work with.

Would they dare go anti-abortion? Can they link immigration to 'white christians will no longer be allowed to pray if we don't stop immigration'?
Are people here convinced that God will solve the climate thing?
Are people here anti-trans cause the bible says there's only dudes and chicks?

Without religion being the driver behind those political viewpoints, they don't have much support.

So it's a tough gig for the Liberals to be relevant.

Yes. It amuses/bemuses me when I see attempts made by fascists to insert the American experience into the Australian situation. FWIW America is a harsh place to live for average hard working folk, let alone those born on the wrong side of the tracks. The American dream is precisely that and upward mobility has been on a downward trajectory for decades.

And there is a burgeoning underclass of working poor. Add to that there is a nasty undercurrent of misogyny and bigotry that is never far from the surface. Whilst the KKK might appear to have run its race, the vestiges of its vile beliefs have a habit of revealing itself when the opportunities arise.

 

[Bjo187]

Tagging people into a thread to echo your sentiments because you're upset people don't agree with your POV is one of the sadder things I've seen on here.

Right after another anti-woke (whatever that means) culture war mudslingers was banging on about "groupthink" hahahaha.

What tagging the guy that started the thread and the other countering the view of the leftie mob in the thread that the forum sits far left, so not to bother, is the saddest thing you've seen? Lol. That's classic.

 

[H00t]

Well the AFL is hypocritical. In that it will only pay lip service to the cause of equality while taking gambling money.

They only truly care about money.

Also why are people so riled up about mentioning equality? Even the slightest hint of acknowledging the challenges minority groups face has them frothing at the mouth in outrage.

 

[.Shotties.]

Attempting to appeal to a wider audience quite frequently alienates the audience you already had if done in a way that is counter to the values or beliefs of your already held audience.

I would suggest that appealing to a smaller more extreme audience is a good way to SHRINK your business.

My view isn't corporations being woke. My view is corporations' virtue-signalling is mostly cynical hypocritical garbage that they make little to no attempt to follow through on once the fanfare of the "look at us" has died down. Think "mining company encourages Yes vote, whilst conducting operations in SEVERAL countries engaged in open internal genocide". And attempting to encourage their employees to vote Yes. Actually more like trying to guilt them into voting Yes.

Oh shit yeah, you're on to something here. Using progressive agendas to whitewash the behaviour of corporations is ****ed and should be called out at every opportunity. It DOES seem, though, judging from your use of 'virtue signaling' (a just-as-stupid right wing buzzword) that you're annoyed more by the message being delivered rather than the hypocricy of the larger corporations.

Anyways, that's enough for me. I wish I'd stop getting myself dragged into this stuff. But I don't like being told by sections of society what my opinion should be.

Honestly from reading your posts in this thread it seems very much like someone having an opposing view point feels like you're being told what to do.

 

[Stottzy]

There wasn't a backlash when pubs didn't celebrate Australia Day 30 years ago

There wasn't a backlash 30 years ago when nobody celebrated Australia day. Only been a public holiday since 1994.

 

[Del65166]

There is some truth to this.

That's why we're suddenly seeing Sky News dedicate air time to US politics. In Australia, religion is a relatively minor issue. In the US - it's pretty much everything when it comes to politics.

So if they can generate false comparison's with what's happening over there, and provide their viewers with some misguided sense of validation - then they may be able to trick their into buying deeper into this culture wars nonsense.

Religion in the US decides elections. Thankfully here, as much as Andrew Bolt and Tony Abbott and these hardcore religious kooks want it to - it isn't the case.

Without religion driving the base, out Liberal party here doesn't have much to work with.

Would they dare go anti-abortion? Can they link immigration to 'white christians will no longer be allowed to pray if we don't stop immigration'?
Are people here convinced that God will solve the climate thing?
Are people here anti-trans cause the bible says there's only dudes and chicks?

Without religion being the driver behind those political viewpoints, they don't have much support.

So it's a tough gig for the Liberals to be relevant.

Catholic Liberal like Tony Abbot, is a recent phenomenon. NSW Liberal Perrott was opus dei I think, Morrison Evangelical. All out of office. Dutch Bolt isn't Catholic. George Pell trial was his interest in Catholicism.

Liberals used to Protestants, and went to hell for it. Labor Catholic, with Anti Commie Bob Santamaria splitting the Labor party in the 50s. Forming the Catholic DLP. My own parents were staunch Catholics but they voted Labor.....

 

[Borisdog]

There wasn't a backlash 30 years ago when nobody celebrated Australia day. Only been a public holiday since 1994.

On the actual 26th maybe, but there'd been a long weekend for a long time.

 

[Gough]

On the actual 26th maybe, but there'd been a long weekend for a long time.

We got a Friday or Monday off, occasionally it coincided with 26th and nobody gave two hoots. Bellicose nationalism in Australia is a relatively recent phenomenon.

 

[Bostonian]

You'd have to be a naive ****wit with zero life experience to believe most people in AFL House give two shits about inclusivity, advocate for minority's rights, or even put thought into gay people or the everyday life of an Indigenous person...

The idea some bloke who grew up in a nice suburb surrounded by other privileged people, who went to a school where everyone is pretty much the same, studied law and got a well paying job straight out of school, and has worked in business or finance for 15 years and now sports administration is really thinking about bettering the lives of some gay fella or a kid who goes hungry to school is laughable. these blokes are more Alan Jones than Mother Jones.

It's all about increasing potential audiences, they don't give two shits and frankly why should they?

You just described the Greens Party.

 

[TheEscapeClub]

If anyone can post the link I would appreciate it.
Probably i may be wrong the first journalist to take the afl on. In regards to this subject.
Afl hypocrisy in era of identity politics is turning fans against one another
Persistent more then that is required welcome to country ceremonies, Pride rounds, knee dropping, race baiting dosent unite Australians but creates a growing level of resentment turning us against each other
Footballs capture by the woke movement has always reeked of hypocrisy
Your thoughts guys? maybe I am old fashioned but sports organisations should just stick to the best interest of the game, and growing it

Not woke but virtue signallers for a dollar.

 

[SC_Power]

Can’t show empathy, compassion or inclusion to anyone… that’s woke.


Can carry on about how rude it is to wear a hat into an RSL though.

****ing boomers.

Thinking that boomers can’t show empathy, compassion or inclusion….. that’s not woke but I can think of a dozen other words that it is. But I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings and have them feeling assaulted on an internet forum.

 

[SC_Power]

I actually think politics all boils down to this.

You have your rusted on supporters of a party. These people are just beyond weird. They fall into line and support everything their party says and does - regardless of whether they actually believe in it. In most cases, they don't have any actual beliefs of their own. These people exist on both sides. And frankly, they're f***ing morons.

Then there's the rest of us. We don't like either political party, and certainly don't follow their lead on issues. We don't believe in most of what either side says or does.

My theory, is that we vote for the party aligned to side that has the least offensive extreme idealogies and views to us.

That means that myself for example, will side with the 'left' not because I'm Team Left all the way and fall into line with their views - but because I find the far side of the Right so horribly offensive and grotesque.

I have friends however, that finds the far Left's position on stuff to be more offensive and confronting to them.

They hate the Lefties more than they hate the stuff coming from the far right. They don't like the stuff coming from the far right, and don't agree with it - but they hate and fear it less than what the far left is bringing to the table.

FWIW, it's usually straight, older white people that are this category. The far Left's views are seen as a direct threat to them, whilst the far right's views whilst abhorrent - in the end wouldn't really hurt them directly.

The job of Sky News and the Herald-Sun and now the Joe Rogans of the world is to paint the Left as more dangerous and abhorrent than its equivalent on the right.

To make being nice to people seem more dangerous than being an arse hole to people. In the US they've managed to succeed, and they're trying real hard here too.

Hence this thread even existing.

So…

It’s hard to get someone to vote FOR you….
It’s easier to get someone to vote AGAINST the other “side”…..?