It was 1981, and a band called Men at Work had a hit song about their Land Down Under, and there was something in the lyrics that strongly implied — no, outright claimed — that Australia was known as the land of plenty. This prompted some thought on my part, as I’d been led to believe my own country was supposed to be the land of plenty.
That can’t be right, I thought. Nobody had more than America had. Why, the evidence was right there: I was watching a network called MTV, featuring a parade of star after star, or even wannabe after wannabe, living the dream, surrounded by an endless flow of material goods and hedonistic pleasures. So much. Maybe … too much. Maybe now I got it. Maybe America was the land of excess, and Australia was indeed the land of plenty, as in “that’s plenty.” And I found myself in my own land of envy.
Bilan over 5 years ago
Well, at least he’s taking after a teacher instead of a politician.
sandpiper over 5 years ago
Little ears – the best recording device ever devised.
rshive over 5 years ago
He picked up the idea for an answer from somewhere.
Darwinskeeper over 5 years ago
Something tells me his answer isn’t going to go over as well as Ms. Plainwell’s.
Night-Gaunt49[Bozo is Boffo] over 5 years ago
PostsFrazz17 hrs ·
It was 1981, and a band called Men at Work had a hit song about their Land Down Under, and there was something in the lyrics that strongly implied — no, outright claimed — that Australia was known as the land of plenty. This prompted some thought on my part, as I’d been led to believe my own country was supposed to be the land of plenty.
That can’t be right, I thought. Nobody had more than America had. Why, the evidence was right there: I was watching a network called MTV, featuring a parade of star after star, or even wannabe after wannabe, living the dream, surrounded by an endless flow of material goods and hedonistic pleasures. So much. Maybe … too much. Maybe now I got it. Maybe America was the land of excess, and Australia was indeed the land of plenty, as in “that’s plenty.” And I found myself in my own land of envy.