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Josh Simpson

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clogged said:
Yeah I wondered about that. Not alienating so much, but isolating. Even without the different cultural background, the fact he's had children at such a young age puts him at a different stage of life than most of his peers in the team.
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Yep, isolating is more what I meant. Ta.
 
Gekko71 said:
Yeah, I know right?? ...I wanted this thread closed two days ago for the terrible standard of commentary and mud-slinging.

Intelligent, insightful, respectful commentary on sensitive issues in an online forum?? ..Ye gods! Call tech support - someone broke the interwebs!! :drunk:
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Can't turn the volatility of the thread up today 'cos the knobs are missing.:rolleyes:
 
Yeah, some good posts floating about. I wont give a long version of my limited by very poignant experience with some remote aboriginals that came down to Perth some years ago, except to say that it has always remained with me and reminds me, among other things, how hard it can be for some us to grasp the things Josh might be going through.

The only thing I'll add it will take a while for Josh to adapt to highly professionalised urban Western lifestyle that surrounds him when down here and somehow integrate that into his background and upbrining, much less what is required at AFL level, much longer than many of us will understand. So two years in the system, AFAIC, isn't that long for a kid like this when you understand the difference in worldview that has to be grasped. I just hope the club (and some of its fans too it would seem, and moreover the populist media) and Josh himself have enough patience to see it through.

Now I guess there's a point where either side might say that it's simply not going to work, and if it gets there, so be it. But it would be sad if Josh isn't given every chance, and yes more chances that some of us might think is reasonable, to succeed.
 

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K Pop said:
Brilliant post.

I'll also add that people actually think about - and even see - the world differently because of differing ecologies, social structures, philosophies and educational systems. Much of Western thought has been derived from Ancient Greece, which was characterised by the social tendency of a highly developed sense of personal agency. This influenced cognitive habits towards personal freedom and individuality because of an ecology that gave rise to economic and social structures (such as shipping, trading, fishing, hunting, herding) that enhanced individualism.

In contrast, the ecology of Australia led to hunter-gatherer societies that emphasised interdependent networks of social relations. Hence the sense of collective agency in traditional Australian Aboriginal culture, through which individuals nourished their sense of self through social relations, contributing to group goals and carrying out prescribed roles (necessary in a traditional hunter-gatherer lifestyle).

What this means is that cognitive habits often vary greatly between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. For instance, Josh Simpson may prioritise strong family obligations above his own career (ie collective agency over personal agency). This is not an excuse for Josh missing the plane, but rather an explanation of some of the factors that may have contributed to that event. Also, an interesting facet of these cognitive habits is that Westerns tend to isolate objects (or people) in causal chains, whereas other cultures emphasise the complex nature of multiple events in any given situation. This helps explain why different posters have perceived the same event in very different ways.

Josh is obviously experiencing a massive change in culture, and he needs the understanding, patience and support of the club to help him with this process (which he appears to be getting). Research indicates that people are culturally malleable, their minds and tendencies gradually shifting toward the culture in which they reside. I have confidence that the club is giving him the tools he needs to succeed, and that the coaching staff and players are teaching him how to use these tools. But ultimately it will be up to Josh to take personal responsibility for meeting the professional requirements of an AFL footballer, if he is to develop into the star we all know he can be.

Sorry if this post was boring or tl;dr. I just thought it's a good opportunity to share some knowledge and hopefully enhance understanding of some of the issues that Josh (and many other Aboriginal Australians) experience.
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Thought this post deserved to be quoted. Helped alot with my understanding. Good to see everyone laying off the abuse a bit today.
 
I really hope that someone at the Club has been reading these posts because I think in many ways the CLUB reflects us and we reflect them .

Josh is a talented footballer, he needs to be told what's expected of our players and that the members want him to grow.
We want him to get the chance to become a great footballer as well as a good all round man as well .

He is young and as young people we have all made mistakes but its up to him to now make a choice of which path he will take .
What ever that choice is I hope the club do everything to help him .
 
couldhavebeen said:
I really hope that someone at the Club has been reading these posts because I think in many ways the CLUB reflects us and we reflect them .
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I have it on good authority that RTB reads theses pages. He is vigilant, especially after a game to check out the "ins" and "outs" for next week.
 
As long as he doesn't piss his team mates off from the club handling him with kiddy gloves all the time I'm all for it. Luke didn't sound that impressed the other night with the lack of respect shown to the club by some of the players, ballas included.
Give him time to make a decision that will inspire his children to make a go of there lives, or back to the goo where there is no employment, poor education and a family that will drag you down to there level by the sounds of it and let the cycle of poverty continue.
 

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I've said this before and I'll say it again now.

I liked Freo supporters on this board a lot more when we were a bunch of losers.
 
slicedndiced said:
Again, I touch upon the fact of people speaking from a whitefella's perspective, and I ask how many of you have actually walked the streets of Yalgoo after dark? How many have sat down and had a beer in front yard of a families home in the town. How many of you have visited Pia mission?

I would wager that none of you have. I have. Yalgoo is a hellhole, an absolute disgrace and frankly quite frightening at times. It is not a nurturing environment at all.
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Can I have that bet Bushie? ;) I'm getting desperate. Haven't backed a winner in five rounds and my tipping - just as bad. Suffice to say, I'm well and truly on your side on this one. You and a couple of others here have articulated the issues way better than I could. But I must say have had at least a couple of good nights in Yalgoo (and Pia Wadjarri too) Was actually in Pia for the opening of the school in I think 2002. Taught a couple of Simpson boys out in Sandstone too. So that wager was $100 wasn't it? Pay up.
 
caterina said:
Surely someone witty is going to respond to this with a quip about eagles supporters and their one eye? JunglistPosse ?
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But from that eye comes then genesis of life.

Not necessarily wisdom though admittedly
 

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go_the_dockers said:
Great post, but a couple of things I would change. Don't use the words white fella (Western European or Australian is better), as I hate this double standard of Aboriginal people calling us white, but we are unable to call them the colour their skin is.

My Australian studies teacher said "When people coming from a disadvantaged back ground, giving them a level playing field is not enough. You need to give them an extra leg up so that they can reach their potential.", and this one thing I have kept with me over the years.

The club has done a brilliant job with a number of different people, and each situation we eventually got the best out of them so I trust the club in this situation.
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so what will you call me?
(waiting for some humourous responses.)
I'm Eastern European, not Western (proud Ukrainian)
My wife is AfroAsian so I call her black & she calls me pink. we call our son (from my 1st marriage) white, so I suppose we are a colourful family.
Neopolitan family? (icecream joke)
I've known a fair few Aboriginal folk in my time & blackfella & whitefella are terms which are commonly used without offence.
 
Keyser Soze said:
If I'm a foreskin then there's a giant circumcised **** out there somewhere
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He was MIA for a while, but he has been pretty active in this thread.
 
willoblue said:
so what will you call me?
(waiting for some humourous responses.)
I'm Eastern European, not Western (proud Ukrainian)
My wife is AfroAsian so I call her black & she calls me pink. we call our son (from my 1st marriage) white, so I suppose we are a colourful family.
Neopolitan family? (icecream joke)
I've known a fair few Aboriginal folk in my time & blackfella & whitefella are terms which are commonly used without offence.
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australian
 
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