6 posts tagged “tall poppy syndrome”

Fellow Voxer Bridget’s post on Sir Edmund Hillary’s passing expresses what many New Zealanders are feeling today.
   Not only has a great man left us, but the idea of a living hero has died with him. Our role models are far and few between, she argues, and she is right.
   I cheekily suggested that the only person who comes close to being a patriot is Peter Jackson, the filmmaker, for his resistance to relocate to Hollywood and his insistence on making his movies here.
   He is deserving of the title of a role model, though because of the time-frame of his success, he might not be regarded in quite the same heights as Sir Edmund—yet.
   Jackson is a paradigm-shifter in so far as he proved that New Zealand is capable of multiple Oscar winners that find mainstream audiences globally, but he is not one who proved that New Zealanders could make films. Earlier directors who did depart for Anglo–American shores did that.
   One could say that Sir Edmund Hillary was not the first man who proved that Kiwis could climb mountains, but it may be right for us to view his accomplishment with eyes opened more widely.
   In 2000 it would have been within the realm of imagination for a filmmaker to start something domestically. Maybe our imaginations would not have said anything at the level of a trilogy of Tolkien adaptations that would wind up doing a clean sweep at the Oscars, but we would have said it was possible to start mainstream film-making. Martin Campbell, for instance, was thinking of making Vertical Limit here.
   In the 1950s, with plenty of loss of life in other attempts, Edmund Hillary and his expedition proved what was considered impossible up to that point. 
   The prior loss of life is what adds to the heroic image of Sir Edmund Hillary, succeeding where human endeavour could not before him.
   So without Sir Edmund and if Peter Jackson does not qualify as a hero (though still someone to be hugely admired and respected), to whom do we turn today?
   As Bridget points out, the tall poppy syndrome is alive and well, and Sir Edmund might have been an exception in New Zealand as someone who could be considered a national treasure in his lifetime. Even if the syndrome is extinguished, Sir Edmund lived through years when it was rife. You literally had to do something as grand as climb Everest to get past it. And since 1953, we haven’t lauded anyone for their accomplishments to the same degree. We didn’t send a man to the moon, and we didn’t invent the internet. The slacker quiet-man mentality of the boys from Flight of the Conchords is disturbingly close to the national psyche on numerous levels.
   Hillary and Tenzing Norkay’s sons might have scaled Everest in tribute to their fathers, and that is no small feat, but just like the Fantasy Island TV remake, no matter how much better you do it, people remember the original more.
   I suppose, too, with the advances we have made in the last 50 years, there are fewer things we are calling ‘impossible’ unless we begin to think in greater mental leaps—maybe solving how UFOs supposedly get across light years in limited times, ending the dominance of the internal combustion engine as our way of getting around short distances on Earth or curing HIV and Aids.
   Institutionalization and politicization may have seen to our inability to really drive forward humanity, even if some geniuses out there may have worked out most of these problems.
   Sir Edmund Hillary reminds us that we can dream of the impossible and steadily work to achieve our goals.
   He may have scaled Everest in 1953 but he first became interested in mountain climbing before World War II, in the mid-1930s as a teenager. We are talking a 20-year dream that he steadily accomplished.
   There are no quick fixes. Bridget’s words: ‘In this age of google, paparazzi and cellphone cameras, sometimes it feels like there aren’t many heroes left: our sports stars peddle drugs and hook up with girls whose artificial breast size is greater than their IQ, our politicians lecture earnestly on the perils of violence then resort to fisticuffs if their moral highground proves shaky, that is when they’re not defrauding immigrants or getting let off from speeding tickets. Church ministers get a television audience and suddenly it’s Harley Davidsons and overseas travel.’
   All of these people she talks about are short-termers, people who are quite happy with flash-in-the-pan moments in the mainstream media, praised as though they were latter-day Hillarys deserving of our attention.
   In reality, no parent in their right mind would want their kids admiring any of these idiots.
   The paradigm-busters are there, bubbling under. New Zealand is an inspirational place so it is hard not to come up with a dream and to accomplish it. However, whether these people have a chance to surface given government policy or institutionalization or the tall-poppy syndrome or the foreign-owned media is another matter. They might even bugger off overseas as so many have done before them.
   We need to encourage them to come forward as individuals and know they will not be laughed at or ridiculed for having a dream.
   God knows that vacuum exists now more than ever.
   And we already know this. In fact, the National Government told us so in 1999, just before the General Election. The document, Bright Future, makes interesting reading in 2008 as we are reminded of lost opportunities. Of course, it was regarded as politicking back then and the programme was cancelled. On Google’s first results’ page, this PDF hosted by the UN is the only remnant of the brochure, whereas in 1999 it was stored domestically as well.
   In essence, Bright Future spoke of the need to foster innovation and to champion individuals. The tall-poppy syndrome, it argued, should die.
   Anyone who knows me know that I would not campaign for National—at least not the National in its present form—so please don’t read this as a National Party campaign advertisement.
   It needn’t have mattered if Bright Future came out of the Legalize Marijuana movement.
   It begs the question, regardless of the source: who is ready to shift paradigms? Or, who is prepared to make a Hillary Shift, one that shifts paradigms from ‘impossible’ to ‘possible’?

I hope Bret and Jemaine become bigger and bigger stars. These two blokes, from Wellington, are the duo Flight of the Conchords, who, domestically, suffered from under-promotion—until they scored their radio and TV series outside New Zealand. Now, of course, their TV show is arguably Prime TV’s biggest hit. It’s a story that’s very familiar to New Zealanders and even Canadians.
   However, before the series took off here—and while Americans were lapping up the Flight of the Conchords show on HBO—there was this documentary as the lads went to Austin, Texas, airing on TV3 in New Zealand a while back. Slightly different flavour to the series, but this is a documentary—the lads’ first. The obligatory dead-pan humour is there and fans should enjoy this.
   The third part starts off with “man in the street” interviews, with folks not knowing things about New Zealand.
   In case any US readers are asking, yes, we find them funny, too, and their tone is intentionally dead-pan and naïve even by our standards.
   Unlike songs such as ‘Mutha Ucker’, the f word does come up here.

As I told Laural Barrett, our Miss Universe New Zealand, tonight, I’m the stroppy bastard that she can put media on to in the absence of Val Lott, pageant director, who is on vacation in Blenheim. Does that make me Acting Director? Ooh …!
   Well, even as a judge, I have a few things to say about the way Laural was treated. As we chatted, I realized that she did handle herself very well against the media, from what she relayed to me. She was pretty stoked about the 154,000 references she has in Google, especially when I told her that my 220,000 has come from 20 years of hard slog.
   And it seems that the only media who are interested in pulling her down are the foreign-owned ones, such as John Fairfax’s The Press. Canwest’s TV3 was more muted in their reporting, but whatever the case, all of it stems from a story in which Laural was misquoted and many relevant facts omitted.
   So what is the difference between a broadsheet and a tabloid in New Zealand?
   The paper size.
   Val was a bit concerned at what Miss Universe LP, LLLP would think of it all, so I fired off the below to a few international media outlets after discussing it with her. The story will probably disappear after this. Especially if there are nude photos of Miss Slovak Republic, Lucia Senášiová, around the place.

Foreign media in New Zealand attack beauty queen

No story here, says Miss Universe New Zealand pageant

Wellington, April 5 (JY&A Media) Today’s domestic media coverage over a 2005 incident involving Laural Barrett, the newly crowned Miss Universe New Zealand 2007, is a ‘non-event’, according to judge and Lucire publisher Jack Yan, speaking on behalf of the pageant.
   He says that it was no surprise to find a story today trying to discredit Miss Barrett in The Press, a Christchurch-based newspaper owned by Australian media group Fairfax.
   Mr Yan believes that Miss Barrett was targeted by parties who feel that beauty pageants are politically incorrect.
   ‘I’ve spoken to Laural Barrett today, and she has handled this like a seasoned media professional. The anti-pageant crowd has failed again.’
   Mr Yan says the negative press has proved that Laural Barrett is not only the right Miss New Zealand, she is potentially the right Miss Universe.
   He explains that New Zealand and Australia have a cultural quirk called the ‘tall poppy syndrome’. The story needs to be considered in its light to avoid being libellous, according to both Mr Yan and pageant director Val Lott, currently on leave.
   Mr Yan says that any New Zealander familiar with the syndrome will recognize the story for what it is, but is worried that those outside the country will read in impropriety where there is none.
   ‘[The syndrome] is where someone who stands out is criticized and compelled to merge into mediocrity,’ he explains. ‘It exists less and less, but tends to get propagated, almost exclusively, by foreign-owned media in New Zealand.
   Mr Yan equates the syndrome to jantelagen in Scandinavian countries, especially Denmark and Sweden.
   The Press had revealed an incident in 2005 where it was alleged that Miss Barrett had mistakenly given away a pair of shoes while working at a retailer, but had worded it to sensationalize the matter.
   ‘If you were 18 and under duress, then it is not hard for a corporation to make you look bad.
   ‘No charges were laid because she was innocent, and whether The Press likes it or not, in New Zealand, it’s not about guilty till proved innocent.
   ‘Any normal New Zealander will appreciate that fact.’
   Mr Yan says that international media and the blogosphere need to take care in reporting the story.
   ‘The Miss Universe Organization should think of this as a Rosie O’Donnell moment,’ he says, referring to a recent incident where TV talk show host Rosie O’Donnell attacked Miss Universe pageant owner Donald Trump.
   ‘At the end of the day, this was a minor story by a foreign-owned newspaper,’ says Mr Yan. ‘The Press would probably be far happier doing a story fêting Jennifer Hawkins,’ he says, referring to a former Miss Australia and Miss Universe 2004.
   ‘Circulation of newspapers is generally falling, and just as Fairfax chose to republish the Mohammed cartoons last year, it has chosen to publish a non-story this year.’
   He says the incident must be embarrassing for The Press, as he and Ms Lott have heard from New Zealand businesses that have immediately taken Miss Barrett’s side.
   ‘I think the Fairfax Press has alienated potential advertisers today and that seems to have been the first consequence.
   ‘The second consequence is that they have proven that Laural Barrett is a discerning young woman, and have provided her with even more grounding to be the next Miss Universe.
   ‘I won’t go so far as to thank them, but it’s certainly helped Laural,’ says Mr Yan.

I am pissed at the pathetic, envious little worms who tricked a journo into writing this, and even more pissed at a deceptive headline which, in any other country, would be laughed at.
   But hey, it’s like the Mohammed cartoons all over again. Newspaper circulation falling. Journalist wanting to get editor’s attention.
   The added ingredient is a 20-year-old girl who has been thrust into the limelight and cannot defend herself.
   Well, whether she can or not, I am outraged. And I have already issued my response. All this has done is piss off The Press’s own advertisers, if the response I am hearing from Christchurch businesses is anything to go by.
   It illustrates the danger of foreign ownership of our media and how out of touch The Press is.
   To the Miss Universe people: this is not a story. This is just what we New Zealanders call the tall poppy syndrome. People dragging down other people because of their success. It is a cultural thing, but the bottom line is, nothing happened.
   And since Mr Trump and I have plenty of mutual friends within and outside the Organization, I think you can take my word as gospel.
   Just a domestic equivalent of the whole Rosie O’Donnell thing, Donald, but done at a much more pathetic scale.
   Of course, I have to make a statement since Val is in Blenheim and I am the only ready media commentator from the pageant.

Judge defends Miss Universe New Zealand Laural Barrett

Wellington, April 5 (JY&A Media) Lucire publisher Jack Yan, who was a judge at last Saturday's Miss Universe New Zealand pageant, says that certain parties in Christchurch have acted ‘despicably’ in trying to smear the winner, Laural Barrett.
   Miss Barrett was reported in The Press today as having been sacked from a shoe store, Wild Pair, in a 2005 incident.
   ‘I wonder if this does Laural more damage, or Wild Pair's brand,’ he says.
   ‘It sounds to me like The Press is indulging a few insecure Cantabrians in a case of guilty till proved innocent. They are trying to drag down Laural and Wild Pair.’
   Mr Yan says, ‘The simple fact is that no wrongdoing occurred if neither Miss Barrett nor her sister were charged. Any right-minded New Zealander would see that that was obvious.’
   Mr Yan says he agrees with pageant director Val Lott that the story was an example of ‘tall poppy syndrome’ but added that he was disappointed that the matter even emerged.
   ‘I am surprised it still happens. It's 2007, for crying out loud. People are not interested in non-events,’ he says.
   ‘Miss Barrett is up to 100,000 Google references, which is the fastest rise I have seen of any New Zealander. Inevitably, there will be backlashes from some quarters.
   ‘The judges fully support her. The pageant fully supports her. And from what I can tell from the night, and from the reactions I have had publicly, the majority of New Zealand supports her.
   ‘We are talking about a tiny, fringe element bullying a 20-year-old for something she is innocent of doing.’
   Mr Yan believes that Miss Barrett will be a ‘fabulous’ ambassador for New Zealand. ‘I have already made bets with one other pageant owner on how well Laural will place,’ he says.
   He says that there are Christchurch businesses who have who have been similarly disturbed by the story and have reached out positively to Miss Barrett.

I had been discussing the tall poppy syndrome with a few Vox friends in a private post (it’s about giving fair play to those of us who are somewhat antiestablishment). Interesting, then, to see a counterpoint from an American newspaper, which celebrates it:

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/02/26/opinion/edbowring.php

   The argument makes some sense, in that we don’t want to abandon our notions of fairness and equality. However, I can’t see why we don’t celebrate accomplishments and give the little guy a go. Doing both is what made America great, and I think we can strike the happy medium. The trick is to sustain it.
   The comparison with Scandinavia is valid: they have a concept called jantelagen which, when it was first explained to me, bore very, very similar hallmarks:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jante_Law

The World's Fastest Indian

I very seldom catch TV network promos for upcoming programmes, but I did catch this one. The World’s Fastest Indian screens TV One, Sunday, 8.35 p.m. It would be an awful shame to miss this TV première of one of the best films to have come out of this country. I saw it on a little plane screen and it still had a powerful effect on me. It does have special effects (from Weta, whom else?) but it is refreshingly free of those over-the-top ones that have typified Hollywood. Based on a true story, Sir Anthony Hopkins gives an amazing performance, and even Mayor Tim Shadbolt wasn’t annoying.
   Best of all, it is the Kiwi spirit on celluloid, from the determination to overcome the tall poppy syndrome, to be an individual, to beat the world, and to do so with charm, humility and tolerance of one’s fellow human beings. Not enough of these stories are told in New Zealand.