Scott W

I’ll admit that when Pauline Hanson insisted on a monoculture in Australia, I wasn’t convinced. My initial reaction was that multiculturalism isn’t the problem - the erosion of a shared national culture is. Politically, I thought monoculture was the wrong word to describe a real and growing problem many of us feel. But I was wrong. Monoculture isn’t the opposite of multiculturalism. Ethnic diversity and a shared national culture aren’t mutually exclusive. Secularism, liberal democracy and equality before the law are themselves products of Western culture. People can maintain distinct ethnic and religious identities whilst participating in a broader Australian culture. That doesn’t mean everyone is the same - it just means there’s a dominant common culture that binds us together. The difference comes down to assimilation. Most Australians, including migrants, expect newcomers to make an effort to assimilate. Learn the language, get to know the locals and try to participate in their traditions. Those expectations don’t undermine multiculturalism - they’re essential to its success. Those who find offence in this really haven’t thought it through - or worse, they’re using a unifying concept to push division.