American Influence on The Australian Culture Essay Example

Up until WW2, Britain was Australia's dominating cultural influence. Britons made up the bulk of the Australian society, and the majority of Australians were either born in Britain or had British ancestors. After WW2, however, ‘pop culture' contributed to mainstream the American way of life in Australia, altering how we spent money, entertained ourselves, dressed, and socialised. New American ideals gradually overtook much of Australia's British cultural heritage.

After WW2, America emerged as the world's dominant economic power, well-positioned to export its cultural exports throughout the world, especially to Australia. Simultaneously, Australians in the 1950s were in a good position to absorb American cultural influences. People were wealthier than ever before, and communications and transportation technology were rapidly developing, allowing for the smooth transfer of American companies and products into Australian culture. Consumerism and financial goals, both of which are American concepts, merged seamlessly with Australia's new suburban leisure ideals. These conditions aided the rapid spread of American cultural influences into Australia in the post-war years and beyond, influencing the country's current state primarily through entertainment, food and beverage, retail, and other industries.

After WW2 and till the present day, American TV shows have dominated the Australian Entertainment Industry. Locally produced films and music are essential tools for people in a country to learn about and share their common culture and heritage. Portrayals of the American way of life regularly overshadow Australian characters, themes, and situations. Romper Room was a children's TV series created and aired in America. It aired in the US from 1953 to 1994 and also in Australia from 1956 to 1963. According to a recent source, it claims that “most content on Australian TV was filmed overseas, with 83% of it being from the US.” This astounding remark demonstrates the extent to which the American entertainment industry had overtaken the Australian entertainment industry. During this time, America possessed the most advanced filmmaking facilities in the world, making it difficult for other countries, particularly Australia, to compete in producing the same quality films. While some films were produced in Australia, the majority was sponsored by British and American companies which starred international actors. According to estimates, about 75% of films broadcasted in Australian theatres in 1952 were American, 18% were British, but only 7% were Australian localised films. Australia's frequent exposure to the American way of life as represented in 1950s movies coincided with the rock 'n' roll craze and a spin-off into the adolescent fashion sector.

The US had dominated the film industry as it possessed the most efficient filmmaking technology in the world, allowing it to produce many more high-quality films at a faster rate than its competitors, such as Australia. Local Australian production companies couldn't compete with American film studios' stunning technicolour and flashy, big-budget promotional efforts. The finest performers, writers, and directors were drawn to America due to the obvious large budgets and greater access to technological resources. This meant that, in many areas, American creative output was superior to that of other countries. Even though the American influence on Australian society declined after WW2, some features of American pop culture are still prevalent throughout the country. For instance, in today's Australian social films, the Hollywood and Disney film productions are still prominent, and even the younger generations are still viewing American-made films, indicating a tendency towards American films.

Before the 1960s, most Australians ate traditional British dishes like roast dinners, chops, or sausages with vegetables. Breakfast options included porridge, toast, eggs, and basic cereals like cornflakes. The bread was usually purchased from a baker, vegetables from a greengrocer, meat from a butcher, and other necessities like sugar and flour from a neighbourhood corner store, which was the traditional British way of life. New American-inspired retail malls and supermarkets had grown ubiquitous by the 1960s, particularly in newly developed suburbs. These brought together a variety of purchasing options under one roof, radically altering Australian purchasing behaviours. In the 1960s, frozen French fries and full frozen meals were popularised as American-style, efficient, pre-prepared meals. These pre-made meals were especially enticing to time-constrained individuals who were a part of the workforce and couldn’t find the time to make themselves a decent meal. In Australia, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) officially opened its doors in 1968. KFC was Australia's first American-style takeaway restaurant, and other fast-food enterprises would soon follow, having a major influence on Australia's eating patterns. Many fast-food chains influenced by American culture, such as Starbucks, Subway, McDonald's, and others, still currently exist, and the influence of American cuisine and beverages can be seen throughout Australia.

While we have been influenced by British, American, and, more recently, European, and Asian cultures, which have formed Australia's foundation, Australia has established its own distinct culture over time.