Looking at ourselves
July 11, 2010
From Sunday Star Times editorial today.
New Zealand thinks of itself as anti-whaling by nature, but it is only a few decades ago that we were happily hunting the whales to extinction. Our image as clean green nature lovers is a newish way of thinking about ourselves, and quite out of kilter with our colonial and post-colonial practice. It would help to remember this sometimes – it might prevent us becoming too shrill and selfrighteous about whaling. But it also offers a possible light for the future. If an enthusiastic whaling country like New Zealand can change its mind, then perhaps Japan can too.
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11 Comments
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Robert
Nice reply
Adam
Actually the overall tenor is that we are inclined to smugness and self righteousness on this and many other issues.
This ill behoves us to be so as in many respects our hands are far from clean or green.
I think you perhaps mis-interpreted my smoking analogy, it was one of attitude not of timeline, but I did enjoy the interpreatation though
Smug and self-righteous are we?
I see.
Stupid us.
Well the Editor of the Sunday Star Times wrote the comment.
I merely drew attention to it.
Yes, I think any country that tends to think of itself as God’s Own, 100% pure and a beacon of light in anti-nuclear matters, coupled with a tendency to preachy liberal lecturing to the world may fairly be considered to have somewhat of a tendency to smugness at times
That’s it!
The very essence of John Key and the reason for his popularity amongst the smug and self-righteous!
So
clear
to
me
now!
The don’t hunt in the southern oceans, so it matters less to New Zealanders.
You are either anti whaling or you or not.
In fact I think much of the NZ issue has to do with endemic NZ racism when it comes to people from China or Japan.
In any event my post related to the fact that NZ take an unpleasant, holier than tho attitude in this regard, much like reformed smokers
Your ‘reformed smokers’ analogy only works Adam, for people who once whaled but now don’t. There are very few of those in New Zealand nowadays.
Surely you’re not suggesting that something our forefathers did precludes (excludes?) us from supporting the opposite action!
Next you’ll be suggesting that we shouldn’t call for an end to cannibalism because our great, great, greats used to eat bits of their enemies!
Tuhoe Mauriora!
But you miss my point. There are many New Zealanders who oppose the whaling of southern ocean whales because it impacts upon their business (Kaikora Whale Watch etc.) I’m surprised you aren’t on side with that concept!
Those New Zealanders will care MORE about local whaling than that done by the Norwegians in a far-away ocean, as I said.
It’s not, as you say, a simple matter of pro-whaling or anti-whaling.
and… is it true that Norway take more whales than Japan?
They are Europeans, so that doesn’t count.
JC