Thank you Susan. I loved this post. It helps to have people remind you of why New Zealand is so special even when it’s being trashed by wannabe corporate raiders. Given what is happening it’s so easy to despair. Articles like this help us to keep things in perspective. Also loved the comment from James above. Thank you again.
This is exactly the sort of bedside story I love. I will sleep in an inspired way tonight with extra snoring whilst enjoying a deeply restorative REM state. As a born and bred Western Australian, I’m married to a beautiful Kiwi girl. We live in Christchurch, the gateway to the South Island, and one of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. I’m sure you know that. This amazing place is full of quietly determined people, opportunity, and a bright future. Sadly, Luxon et al are not blessed with the required intellect, integrity or wherewithal to comprehend such a place even exists. In contrast, they live their lives trapped in a stupor of entitlement, delusions of grandeur, and self-interested corporate greed. How not fun is that? And the secret sauce of a landscape like ours is it fosters resilience and patience and as a photographer, it’s paradise on Earth. Loved your story, thank you. Best, James
The theme of this has long fascinated me, re the story telling, the porkies or whatever you want to call them. From moving my life to America in 2008 and all that entailed as I embraced and reflected on another culture..........coz it weren't no kiwi culture.
The continual bragging got to me seriously, I didn't know any other country that was so verbose about it being the greatest and the best at everything.........
I did deep dives on this and have come to some understandings as I tried to grapple with and understand America..............I would love to have a conversation here around that. I would love to test some of my theories without anyone feeling attacked personally or defensive for being defensive's sake. I have read lots around it and my conclusions are a shadow of some of the truth. The American tradition is about porkies, tis a national tradition.........and one book I read confirmed what I had wondered and traced in my own head back to some of the characters in that cool image at the head of your post..............the more absurd things were that were said, the more beliveable they became, you were the expert and spoke truth when your voice was the loudest.......... What we see playing out right now is so much like that, with modern versions of the snakeoil salesman and the media and the ones with buckeroos, and lots and lots of them, to dictate and control the narrative, or porkies..............somewhere America lost the ability to wonder if things said about itself or its heroes was actually true.
This has long fascinated me.
I am not anti American..................but struggle with America, as I struggle with aspects of my own countries porkies about itself..................love your writing.
I appreciate your honesty. Americans struggle with growing up in a culture that demands that we compete on many levels. We are all observers of what we call truth. Or just what we see...which can be misleading. So it's important to share and test and challenge ourselves if we want to grow. You are kind and observant...we all want to see what is possible in this moment. Appreciate your thoughts.
Lovely. Thank you.
Thank you Susan. I loved this post. It helps to have people remind you of why New Zealand is so special even when it’s being trashed by wannabe corporate raiders. Given what is happening it’s so easy to despair. Articles like this help us to keep things in perspective. Also loved the comment from James above. Thank you again.
Thank you David for your kind words. I thank my Lucky Stars every day.
Hi Susan,
This is exactly the sort of bedside story I love. I will sleep in an inspired way tonight with extra snoring whilst enjoying a deeply restorative REM state. As a born and bred Western Australian, I’m married to a beautiful Kiwi girl. We live in Christchurch, the gateway to the South Island, and one of the most spectacular landscapes on Earth. I’m sure you know that. This amazing place is full of quietly determined people, opportunity, and a bright future. Sadly, Luxon et al are not blessed with the required intellect, integrity or wherewithal to comprehend such a place even exists. In contrast, they live their lives trapped in a stupor of entitlement, delusions of grandeur, and self-interested corporate greed. How not fun is that? And the secret sauce of a landscape like ours is it fosters resilience and patience and as a photographer, it’s paradise on Earth. Loved your story, thank you. Best, James
Why thank you James! That’s a lovely comment coming from another storyteller. Perhaps we can share a campfire soon?
Great idea. 😁
Loved that story, I really did, and your stance.
The theme of this has long fascinated me, re the story telling, the porkies or whatever you want to call them. From moving my life to America in 2008 and all that entailed as I embraced and reflected on another culture..........coz it weren't no kiwi culture.
The continual bragging got to me seriously, I didn't know any other country that was so verbose about it being the greatest and the best at everything.........
I did deep dives on this and have come to some understandings as I tried to grapple with and understand America..............I would love to have a conversation here around that. I would love to test some of my theories without anyone feeling attacked personally or defensive for being defensive's sake. I have read lots around it and my conclusions are a shadow of some of the truth. The American tradition is about porkies, tis a national tradition.........and one book I read confirmed what I had wondered and traced in my own head back to some of the characters in that cool image at the head of your post..............the more absurd things were that were said, the more beliveable they became, you were the expert and spoke truth when your voice was the loudest.......... What we see playing out right now is so much like that, with modern versions of the snakeoil salesman and the media and the ones with buckeroos, and lots and lots of them, to dictate and control the narrative, or porkies..............somewhere America lost the ability to wonder if things said about itself or its heroes was actually true.
This has long fascinated me.
I am not anti American..................but struggle with America, as I struggle with aspects of my own countries porkies about itself..................love your writing.
Lost my first couple of subscribers which I anticipated. If people don’t like the truth they don’t need to follow me!
I appreciate your honesty. Americans struggle with growing up in a culture that demands that we compete on many levels. We are all observers of what we call truth. Or just what we see...which can be misleading. So it's important to share and test and challenge ourselves if we want to grow. You are kind and observant...we all want to see what is possible in this moment. Appreciate your thoughts.