I am just getting in early

I know that we aren't yet in the FOOTBALL season but frankly I find the local obsession rather disturbing.

People need to be entertained - but local entertainment has become almost exclusively the AFL brand of FOOTBALL!!

AFL marketing folks have done a great job at exploiting locals and promoting their product. The trouble is that outsiders look at the place and think - Why?

Excuse me - but how can anyone obsess about their “Footy Tips”? The truth is that the local obsession with football just demonstrates that nothing of much substance happens here - there is no depth, no breadth and no alternatives.

Football is the “filler” that occupies time between work and family. Most developed states and nations exploit a variety of “fillers” - often including a form of football but also other sports and other cultural activities. From a cultural perspective it seems unhealthy to focus on just one filler - and limiting the depth and breadth of experience that results from a diverse activity set.

I sat through a boring lunch recently where the ONLY topic of conversation was the Crows, Port Power and their likely progress against the dreaded Victorians. Excuse me but this is a joke - how can we expect the world to take SA seriously when our single topic of conversation is football - what about the big issues facing us - why don’t they get a mention? Do we even know what they are? Probably not.

So we need to find cultural activities that will enhance the “filler” experiences of South Australians - and promote diversity. The good news is that there are lots on offer - lets use the clout of the State more effectively to promote healthy alternatives that exploit the natural advantages of the place.