Australians... easy-going and laid-back?

Australians are "easy-going" and "laid-back" 🤠

Well, we like to think we are 😎

We Aussies see ourselves as "larrikins" who have a healthy disrespect for the rules and take things on with a "you'll be right mate" attitude.

But the reality is often the complete opposite.

Australians won't admit it but they love rules, as detailed as possible, and follow them to a tee.

And we don't take an "easy-going" attitude to those who don't toe the line. If you want any proof of this, then just watch an episode of Border Security Australia and see how the officials are like when bringing a banana into the country or, in contrast to many other countries, how meticulously policed and the complex rules followed during the pandemic lockdowns in Australia. Writer and honorary Aussie Nick Bryant, who for many years was the BBC's Sydney Correspondent, has long echoed this same point about Aussies and their overwhelmingly positive attitude to rules in his observations.

👍 Now some will claim that this is over-regulation or even stifling, but guess what? It's because of this detail in legislation and the widespread accepted adherence to the rule of law that have awarded Australia and Australians with one of the highest standards of living in the world. You can expect things will be done and as instructed.

Trust me, had it been as laissez-faire as we'd picture it to be, the place would be in a right mess now.

🩴 If there is one aspect of Australian life though that is easy-going, then it's in the way we dress. It's definitely comfort over fashion, much to the dismay of many a foreigner.  

💡 So this is an important aspect to bear in mind when appealing to Australians: play on national myths (such as this "easy-going/laid-back" thing) in discourse but stick to the rules in practice.

Need help to get your product or service to the easy-going and laid-back Aussies out there, drop me a line at info@nicknasev.com and let's have a chat.