Let’s Talk: Do Aussies have no culture?

The New York Times has recently spent an awful lot of time contemplating whether or not Australians have any culture. 

But do you think we’re living in a cultural wasteland or is the The New York Times off its head?

Ironically, its Australia bureau chief who posed the question to readers last week isn’t even Australian. 

American Damien Cave invited readers to share their experiences of Aussie culture after stating that Australia seemed to be a country where “the demand for culture is greater than the supply” — do you agree?

Or is Cave talking rubbish? 

Comedian Lucy Vale wrote a hilarious tongue-in-cheek response for SBS in which she insisted Aussies were “lightyears ahead” and the rest of the world was just jealous.

In it she referred to Americans as “bloody drongo seppos” who had no idea just how cultured we were. 

“Just this morning I paired my latte with a Cheesymite scroll, how’s that for fusion food?” Vale wrote. 

As for her memorable recent experiences with Australian culture, Vale responded in true Aussie style: “I’ve got three words for you, mate. Backyard piss up.”

She went on to reference our rich and varied culture including our “phenomenal artwork” (graffiti on the side of trains), “television to rival HBO” (“Ever heard of a little place called Ramsay Street?” Vale taunted), and Guy Sebastian, Millsy and Nollsy as some of our “accomplished musical virtuosos”.

And while we do seem to be a country obsessed with “big” things — the Big Banana, the Big Pineapple, the Big Prawn, etc — we’ve got the Sydney Opera House and Melbourne’s food scene to brag about, so are we really that uncultured?

Do you agree with Cave? Or is Australia just fine the way we are?