Hard News by Russell Brown

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Hard News: Show some decency

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  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    who is in town

    Sec Gen of the UN

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Would he need that much security?

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Ian Dalziel, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Sec Gen of the UN

    Trout fishing near Taupo yesterday?

    Christchurch • Since Dec 2006 • 7953 posts Report

  • Bart Janssen, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    Would he need that much security?

    I have accidentally talked to right wing Americans about the UN ... man ... step back from the crazy person ...

    So yeah UN gets a LOT of haters

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 4461 posts Report

  • Sacha, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    most certainly

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    Black helicopters are go.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Graham Dunster,

    So what happened to all the righteous anger about the asset sales? Nary a mention these days.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2009 • 184 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Graham Dunster,

    So what happened to all the righteous anger about the asset sales?

    It's still simmering, Graham.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Dismal Soyanz, in reply to Bart Janssen,

    I thought he left yesterday (IIRC so said NatRad news).

    Wellington • Since Nov 2010 • 310 posts Report

  • tussock, in reply to Hebe,

    Is it all too big, too complex for people to understand? Do they refuse to believe that level of systemic and sustained wrongdoing could exist in New Zealand? Do they not care? Do they despise Hager so much that they cannot hear or see what he is saying? Have they swallowed the spin so fully that our democracy is under threat? What don’t they get?

    It's called cognitive dissonance.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance

    In psychology, cognitive dissonance is the mental stress or discomfort experienced by an individual who holds two or more contradictory beliefs, ideas, or values at the same time, or is confronted by new information that conflicts with existing beliefs, ideas, or values.

    The face they make is a stress face. Hager's book is literally a challenge to their core beliefs and value system. The fair deal and everyone can make good by working hard story the right tell when cutting taxes and public services. The idea that you make your own way in the world soon after casting off the nipple, and poor people are really just lazy or mumble mumble don't think about it too hard. Why, look at John Key, bootstrapped himself right out of the gutters, a virtual Oliver Twist.

    Part of it is that when John Key talks about driving down New Zealand wages, that's just a slip of the tongue because he's a nice self-made hard-working kindy-goofy guy who'd be a great mate to have and not at all a professional back-stabbing hyper-intelligent sociopath capable of long-game scams and deceits for the benefit of his very small monkeysphere.

    When they say they're selling state assets, again, despite Labour always having to bail the fucking things out after they're looted, that he means well, and they're really trying to help out everyone who got screwed by the finance companies, like their Mum and Dad. "Mum and Dad investors", you see, dog whistles all the way down.

    So it's, they've done it twice now, voted for John. That nice man. Because he tells them his obviously horrible and socially destructive policy framework bludgeoned through under urgency and endless character assassination of anyone who speaks against, surely they mean well.

    Otherwise. If that Hager book ... if it's true ... what have they done?

    wikipedia:

    "The existence of dissonance, being psychologically uncomfortable, will motivate the person to try to reduce the dissonance and achieve consonance"
    "When dissonance is present, in addition to trying to reduce it, the person will actively avoid situations and information which would likely increase the dissonance"

    NB: John Key "is not going to read the book", though of course he's briefed in intimate detail on it's contents. That's also a dog-whistle, one promoting further cognitive dissonance in his fans.

    Since Nov 2006 • 611 posts Report

  • Alfie, in reply to tussock,

    he's a nice self-made hard-working kindy-goofy guy who'd be a great mate to have and not at all a professional back-stabbing hyper-intelligent sociopath capable of long-game scams and deceits for the benefit of his very small monkeysphere.

    Nice summary Tussock, but I've never considered Key to be "hyper-intelligent". Quite the opposite, in fact. Have I misjudged the man?

    Dunedin • Since May 2014 • 1440 posts Report

  • nzlemming, in reply to Alfie,

    Nice summary Tussock, but I’ve never considered Key to be “hyper-intelligent”. Quite the opposite, in fact. Have I misjudged the man

    Never make the mistake of thinking he is stupid. He cultivates the persona, as tussock so eloquently points out. But you don’t get as high up in Merrill Lynch as he did by being that stupid.

    Waikanae • Since Nov 2006 • 2937 posts Report

  • Trevor Nicholls, in reply to nzlemming,

    you don’t get as high up in Merrill Lynch as he did by being that stupid

    Some people are street-smart, self-focussed, and quick to leverage every opportunity for their own benefit. I wouldn't call that hyper-intelligence.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Trevor Nicholls,

    I wouldn’t call that hyper-intelligence.

    Nor would I call that stupidity. What you described is a kind of intelligence. I certainly wouldn't turn to the prime minister for a discussion on ethics or history, but he has a kind of smarts and he's good at what he does. Gotta be wary of that.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • andin,

    that’s just a slip of the tongue because he’s a nice self-made hard-working kindy-goofy guy who’d be a great mate to have and not at all a professional back-stabbing hyper-intelligent sociopath capable of long-game scams and deceits for the benefit of his very small monkeysphere.

    There is so often a difference between what someone says and what they do. Been going on for, well, as long as there have been people capable of such duplicity. A long time.
    Buddha noticed it, so did Lao Tzu, and, someone who history has designated the name of, Jesus.
    The America's indigenous population got on the wrong end of it.
    Being honest is hard work, harder than moving your mouth, brain focussed on the goal, and making the socially acceptable (at the time) sounds come out.
    Oh that's so easy. And we are intrinsically lazy (dont wanna rock the boat) comfort loving creatures.
    Requires little intelligence just a low cunning.

    raglan • Since Mar 2007 • 1891 posts Report

  • BenWilson,

    Attachment

    You want to know if he’s thick? He’s this thick

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Sofie Bribiesca, in reply to nzlemming,

    But you don’t get as high up in Merrill Lynch as he did by being that stupid.

    The man is a con artist. Those types have the ability to con vince you that they care. They are artists at convincing you they know the answer to your needs. They convince you someone else may hurt you, steal your stuff and they will tell you they can fix any problems you may have as long as you trust them. That's Narcissist Key. All he is good at is putting Labour down. Then he convinces you he aint like that. Yeah right.

    here and there. • Since Nov 2007 • 6796 posts Report

  • Trevor Nicholls, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Nor would I call that stupidity. What you described is a kind of intelligence. I certainly wouldn't turn to the prime minister for a discussion on ethics or history, but he has a kind of smarts and he's good at what he does

    All of which is agreed. But it's clear (been clear for a long time I think) that our PM is not a "chess player", is not "playing a long game", and has no communicable strategy at all. He has agile reactions, which is perfect if you're operating in volatile markets where the only thing that matters is to be ahead "at the end of the day" (lol). It doesn't make for good governance, and with him at the top it doesn't make for a good government.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report

  • Trevor Nicholls, in reply to Sofie Bribiesca,

    All he is good at is putting Labour down

    "It's not my job to talk about Labour's stupid policy..."
    No, it's not, but he's been talking about nothing else all day.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Trevor Nicholls,

    No, it’s not, but he’s been talking about nothing else all day.

    Which is actually really quite poor strategy. He could be talking about National's policy, if there was anything to talk openly about. This is pretty much allowing Labour to set the agenda.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to Trevor Nicholls,

    that our PM is not a “chess player”

    Yes! The lack of chess players at the higher levels of politics is generally quite worrying. Key certainly is not one, and for that I am glad.

    “It’s not my job to talk about Labour’s stupid policy…”

    Did Cunliffe fire back with "Good thing, because you've been talking stupidly about Labour's intelligent policy all day"?

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

  • Trevor Nicholls, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    Key certainly is not one, and for that I am glad

    I don't want him to play chess, I want him to think beyond the current news cycle. I've never seen any evidence that he is capable of doing so.

    Did Cunliffe fire back with ".."

    He might have, but you'd only know if the media chose to show you. The media seem to prefer smart-alec remarks as much as you do.

    Frankly I don't think you're taking this particularly seriously. Some of us live here.

    Wellington, NZ • Since Nov 2006 • 325 posts Report

  • BenWilson, in reply to Chris Waugh,

    The lack of chess players at the higher levels of politics is generally quite worrying.

    Well Russia would certainly be improved if Kasparov were elected, instead of being (quite rightly) too scared to return.

    Auckland • Since Nov 2006 • 10657 posts Report

  • Hebe, in reply to tussock,

    “When dissonance is present, in addition to trying to reduce it, the person will actively avoid situations and information which would likely increase the dissonance”

    Yep that. And the stress face. I was going to peg it as cognitive dissonance but have not got any more than a sketchy understanding of the term so thought I could be wrong.

    Your explanation chimes exactly with what I see: a good person I love dearly but who cannot process such a challenge to her beliefs. And she is having so many of her assumptions and certainties challenged by the health system, insurers, family, that I can completely understand the shutdown.

    I am seeing that snap! closing of the face elsewhere.

    Whereas I'm interested in the daily unfolding, and I admit the events are reinforcing my cynicism about old spin-and-grin, so it is easier to process. (The first read of the book was hard: depressing and upsetting.)

    Christchurch • Since May 2011 • 2899 posts Report

  • Chris Waugh, in reply to BenWilson,

    Well Russia would certainly be improved if Kasparov were elected, instead of being (quite rightly) too scared to return.

    Trouble for him is Putin is no slouch at the long-term game, either.

    Back in NZ, I think Key's lack of strategic smarts is starting to show, and that gives me hope he'll be out of the picture soon-ish. The big question is who comes next.

    As for chess, when it first entered the thread I took it purely as metaphor, but I think it's a valuable one. I suspect chess and similar games were invented precisely to teach kids the kind of strategic thinking they'd need for careers in government and/or the military. It does worry me that I look at the likes of Putin and Xi Jinping and think these guys would be pretty handy on a chessboard, then look at what passes for leadership in the "West" and wonder where the strategists are.

    Wellington • Since Jan 2007 • 2401 posts Report

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