It appears that the old American hardiness is being bred out of the culture.
From numerous TV and radio shows it appears that any short term inconvenience brings on torrents of fear and anxiety. No ability to cope with he reality that existence on Earth is not a Disney happy cartoon or a Disneyland ride.
"The old American hardness" was always a myth.
Hardness comes from hardship, and Americans have had it easier for longer than any other nation in the history of the world.
Americans are soft; They like to pretend that they are hard as nails, but they are just to wealthy and cosseted for that to be true (as a general rule).
The Americans who are hard are mostly in your jails - and those who aren't yet, would be if the average middle class suburbanite had his way.
Oh fucking bullshit.
I want to apologize for such a rude and not very substantial response to the above. We had a recent death in the family and a bunch of stressors because of that and also separate from that.
I do get very irritated when you (bilby) makes some anti-American remark that I feel is unfounded or in this case, founded on some blockbuster Sly Stallone movies.
In the US, as I suspect is true in Australia, the vast majority of those imprisoned are in prison because of some crime related to either drug trafficking or some crime committed while under the influence of some drug, sometimes alcohol or in order to obtain some drug and/or alcohol. This includes those who perpetuate all sorts of domestic violence, including crimes against children.
And I think in your post you are confusing 'hard' or 'hard as nails' with strong.
People do not end up in jail or prison because they are so strong. Or tough or hard.
They mostly end up in prison because they are unable to adapt to their circumstances and not strong/smart/resilient/lucky enough to be able to change their circumstances. Absolutely, 1000 percent true that racism is a tremendous reason for the reason many/most persons of color find themselves in such circumstances and this same racism very strongly influences the criminal justice and judicial systems. Hey, one of my family members who is white, grew up in what I would have considered pretty darn well off circumstances, plus being handsome, smart, with loving and caring parents is...an alcoholic and drug addict from his teen years--so for the past 50 years or so. He's mostly/somewhat clean now. I don't delve into his private matters enough to know for certain except that he still acts like an addict: emotional outbursts, emotional manipulation, refusal to take any responsibility for any of his current terrible behavior, much less any of the horrible things he's done to his family who he is (as in the past week) verbally abusing for not having made the same shitty choices he made and ending up with a nicer life because of that. For years, police just took him home after he wrapped a car around a tree (drunk) or whatever crime. His parents and siblings did not press charges for the thefts or assaults, even the ones that resulted in trips to the hospital. Instead, they tried to get him into rehab, etc. Now, it's absolutely not his fault that he's an addict. It IS, however, his fault that he refused all attempts to help him, instead showing up time and time and time again with his hand out, expecting to be bailed out of whatever mess he did. And when his parents finally had enough, he fathers an innocent kid with an equally incompetent woman, neither of them fit to be parents and so managed to dangle his parents and hers along until the kid finished high school. There were some peaceful times in this, when he was in prison because ultimately he stole enough from non-family members that his good looks and his parent's nice address couldn't protect him and his parents wouldn't.
He's smart--except that the alcohol and drug abuse have really taken away a lot of his mental abilities. He is or rather was very good looking (see drug use/abuse). He still looks like an athlete but his body is riddled with pain and almost certainly cancer (biopsy next week but yeah: I'd bet money on it). But he lacked the strength of character to actually man up and support his kid even though he knew the kids' mother wasn't fit to do it herself. Sure, back in the day, he could have rolled you for whatever you had on you in some alley. Probably not now. He is probably capable of scaring you into believing that he could but I know where he has metal plates and which wrist is so badly damaged that he's constantly wracked with pain. I could take him, easy. And I'm way out of shape.
He's not strong. He's not tough. He may have once been a hardened criminal. I have no doubt he's not above breaking whatever laws necessary to keep himself afloat if need be. Ironically, except for when he was in jail or prison, he's always had a job, many of the pretty well paying. He has a good work ethic. But a very weak character. He lacked the strength or the determination to accept the many chances he had to get himself clean. Now, I suppose he's clean or clean enough. I know he still drinks some. I know that he still gets pain meds from his doctor and does have legitimate need for them. But they mess up his head badly.
He's weak. He's always been weak. He had every advantage: good, loving, involved parents. Intelligence. Charm. Good looks. Good educational opportunities. Many friends and family who loved him. But not the strength to quit substance abuse until it almost killed him and honestly? I don't think he's all that 'quit.' Unfortunately. It makes me really sad.
But he's the exception. Most of the US incarcerated population did not come from such a lovely, privileged background. But most, like him, have serious problems with substance abuse. And other character defects that make it more convenient to steal and assault people than to really buck the system and make something good of themselves. Heck, I know some kids that grew up with my kids but in some pretty terrible circumstances. Some of them ended up in jail or prison--very justifiably. And some did not. Some have really made something of their lives, despite the bad circumstances and sometimes despite the several millstones called their family hanging around their necks. THOSE are the strong ones, the ones who made something of their lives despite their terrible circumstances, they are the ones who are tough as nails. They are resilient, determined to make something better of their lives than was expected of them by...anybody, or so it seemed.
You know who else is really strong? Tough? Teachers. Nurses and doctors. Parents who stick around and do their best to raise their kids no matter what it means that they give up themselves. People who do the same crappy job because it puts food in their family's mouths and a roof over their heads. People who change gears when life throws them a curve and move on to a different job, a different kind of job altogether, a different way of living.
Also: people who are wiling to welcome others into their home, their town, their job, their lives, even if they look or sound different. Yes, today there's a lot of news about bigots and arrogant assholes and Kardashians and reality stars. They rarely make movies about janitors who work 3 jobs to send their kids to school but they really should. They are so much more successful, so much more admirable--likeable than anybody related to the Kardashians.
I doubt that Australia is much different.
