A. A. Phillips
Australian writer (1900–1985)
Arthur Angell Phillips (15 August 1900 – 4 November 1985), generally known as A. A. Phillips, was an Australian writer, critic and teacher, best known for coining the term "cultural cringe" in his pioneering essay "The Cultural Cringe" (1950), which set the early terms for post-colonial theory in Australia.
Quotes
edit- Above our writers—and other artists—looms the intimidating mass of Anglo-Saxon culture. Such a situation almost inevitably produces the characteristic Australian Cultural Cringe—appearing either as the Cringe Direct, or as the Cringe Inverted, in the attitude of the Blatant Blatherskite, the God's-Own-Country and I'm-a-better-man-than-you-are Australian bore.
- "The Cultural Cringe", in Meanjin (1950)
- Quoted by Paul Keating in a speech in the House of Representatives (27 February 1992), addressing monarchists:
- Even as it walked out on you and joined the Common Market, you were still looking for your MBEs and your knighthoods, and all the rest of the regalia that comes with it. You would take Australia right back down the time tunnel to the cultural cringe where you have always come from.
