tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post3111621571940234582..comments2024-03-29T17:12:19.648+13:00Comments on Bowalley Road: Eleanor Catton And The Sociocultural Logic Of Kiwi Neoliberalism.Chris Trotterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09081613281183460899noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-62492432729734278082015-02-19T12:19:50.928+13:002015-02-19T12:19:50.928+13:00One of New Zealanders' least attractive attrib...One of New Zealanders' least attractive attributes is their gnawing insecurity about their place in the world. If one of ours is lauded by all and then disowns us overseas, this furore is the natural and inevitable result. At heart it is not about right/left politics, apart perhaps from emphasising New Zealanders' inherent conservatism and defensiveness. It was surprising that a writer of Catton's gifts did not understand this better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-46126486205660948172015-02-08T09:52:19.929+13:002015-02-08T09:52:19.929+13:00The Right, particularly the American right, specia...The Right, particularly the American right, specialises in character assassination rather than intellectual argument. Not necessarily I think because they have no intellectual rebuttal, but they simply find it more effective. Most of the right wing thinkers with whom you could have a rational argument have disappeared into the maw of Fox news and the like. There. Fixed!Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-77570417577599854402015-02-07T15:07:04.587+13:002015-02-07T15:07:04.587+13:00This comment has been removed by the author.Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-5160533602548922172015-02-07T15:05:53.004+13:002015-02-07T15:05:53.004+13:00This comment has been removed by the author.Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-87022661121418943652015-02-07T07:51:10.833+13:002015-02-07T07:51:10.833+13:00She's very successfully walking in the footset...She's very successfully walking in the footsetps of Marilyn Waring.<br /><br />GregAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-83716521556384033412015-02-06T18:55:58.572+13:002015-02-06T18:55:58.572+13:00Apparently Sean Plunkett called her a "traito...Apparently Sean Plunkett called her a "traitor". He's become a one-man tabloid. :-)Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-88448780312512562162015-02-06T12:41:54.662+13:002015-02-06T12:41:54.662+13:00... That would be fine if contrary views were brou...... That would be fine if contrary views were brought forward, instead there have just been attacks of Eleanors character and questioning her validity / right to comment on politics in the first place. Perhaps if there was some real discussion by the 'offended' partys about the points raised we might be able to nationally progress the conversation . Instead we are seeing classic bullying by an elite group of males who seem to be backed into corner by the truth.pucknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-26009948871900938222015-02-06T10:02:05.894+13:002015-02-06T10:02:05.894+13:00The right hates intellectuals- what absolute rubbi...The right hates intellectuals- what absolute rubbish! A sweeping generalisation that shows a very lazy thought processes at best.<br />Her comments about politics are about as relevant as John Key's would be about literature. Or as relevant as some cricketer trying to sell home heating.<br />She has every right to her opinion and to express it but can hardly expect not to hear contrary opinions also expressed.Jigsawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13906156865367357834noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-47419517466044830242015-02-05T18:00:21.394+13:002015-02-05T18:00:21.394+13:00Anonymous@13.05
I largely agree with you.
I also...Anonymous@13.05<br /><br />I largely agree with you.<br /><br />I also agree with Chris that Ms Catton has been subjected to an obscene level of abuse and her being an attractive young woman may well be part of this.<br /><br />But I don't think New Zealand grew more sexist with the advent of neo-liberalism. Quite the opposite, in fact. <br /><br />Of course NZ might have grown even less sexist during the last thirty years if neo-liberalism had not triumphed. There again, perhaps not.<br /><br />As things stand, we hear a lot about the "glass ceiling" limiting the aspirations of would-be high achieving women but rather less about the concrete ceilings faced by most people of both genders.Victornoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-25069844762432475902015-02-05T13:05:08.401+13:002015-02-05T13:05:08.401+13:00I don't see neoliberalism as inherently mascul...I don't see neoliberalism as inherently masculine. After all, it guts that most masculine of areas, trade unions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-9219512789210075102015-02-05T13:04:08.705+13:002015-02-05T13:04:08.705+13:00there is an (other) excellent piece by Gordon Camp...there is an (other) excellent piece by Gordon Campbell on this topic...the blog is kindly linked within this site.pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08727942156598555852noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3753486518085091399.post-8335726624649737642015-02-05T12:28:37.475+13:002015-02-05T12:28:37.475+13:00I confess, I had to Google what she said. And yes,...I confess, I had to Google what she said. And yes, that problem with beauty – I know it well :-). But let's face it, it's not just the right that hates intellectuals. It's practically the whole of New Zealand. I suppose it might be a hangover from that egalitarianism we used to have, or from the number 8 fencing wire mentality we were supposed to have. But as I have said several times in these columns, we tend to ignore science, and we tend to disparage intellectuals – unlike the French who revere theirs, rightly or wrongly :-). WE tend to revere the "man of his hands" or business people. To these we tend to give unqualified and gullible acceptance, (Christ look how everybody piles on when Peter Jackson is ever criticised) and the tall poppy syndrome is usually aimed at intellectuals. Heaven help your average perfesser in this country, if you can't build your own house you're ignored.Guerilla Surgeonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03427876447124021423noreply@blogger.com