Backbencher

Lecture 6 was titled Society: All Blacks vs. Wallabies and it dealt with a few aspects of the founding mythologies of Australia and New Zealand. Australia was originally a convict settlement and they wished to overrthrow the squattocracy and the reign of the bourgeoisie. Class consciousness was also big in australian settlement. New Zealand, however, wanted to retain ties to the empire as well as the order. New Zealanders encouraged a classless society and didn't want to separate people into certain groups. The creation of a welfare state was important, and the architect who brought about this welfare state was William Pember Reeves. Russell Ward created somewhat of the Australian Legend, which included bush ballads and popular literature. Mateship was important, and it was essential to have a companion. Ward also emphasized the importance of bushrangers and bushmen in creating the allure of the outback.

Another aspect of this lecture dealt with Australian and New Zealand sports. I really liked hearing about this as I didn't know anything about cricket rules or rugby rules that much. In these countries, rugby is the definition of masculinity and is played in a violent, fast paced style. I can see why it might be fun to watch becaue somebody is bound to get laid out with a big hit. In the Super 12 league, New Zealand is dominant. These teams compete with corporate sponsorships and the league features competition in the southern hemisphere. Overall, this lecture was interseting to hear and i have a much more detailed explanation of these types of sports.