Even in team sports, the players are not in the game for their fellow team members, they are in it for the self satisfaction and pride, mateship is not the main priority. Sport, in essence, is Australia's most followed religion and has much importance placed upon it. We are seeing more and more of our sporting heroes with the increased allocation of television time for this subject, and the apparent consequence of this is that we are placing our sports men and women on an even greater, more elevated pedestal. Ironically, it seems that this has in fact made them less accessible to the average person. As a result of all this, we have become a nation of watchers rather than doers. In the film "Gallipoli" people were hard, fit and athletic, yet despite our increased interest in sport we have evolved into a nation of couch potatoes with fewer people than ever actually participating in sport or exercise, preferring to take cars instead of using their legs. .
A reason for this is that we, as a nation, have become more urbanised, with 90% of our population living within one hour of the coast. This trend reveals our ever increasing imitation of America and our continual move away from traditional Australian values in a bid to keep up with our powerful friends. Our "bushman" identity as displayed in "Gallipoli" is no longer as relevant as it once was. Whilst we still have a soft spot for the bush, and whilst it helps to shape who we are, the majority of people would be at a complete loss if sent to the outback to fend for themselves for a night. We are fast becoming detached and unaware of the country lifestyle which is usually just hours away. The closest we come to these now seemingly urban myths is through television shows such as "Getaway" and "The Great Outdoors," and thus, the outback is no longer an icon of national adoration and respect. Quite the opposite; many country-dwellers are seen by their metropolitan counterparts, let alone our new cosmopolitan brethren, as somewhat "backward".