Category Archives: National Identity

In memoriam: The ties that ‘bind’

A Brief Reflection When it comes to ANZAC Day I’m always in a bind. The deaths, the maimings and the huge disruptions to ordinary people’s lives should never be forgotten; but to ‘honour’ that suffering in ways that, ultimately, may help … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Freedom, Military, National Identity, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

While we’re talking about flags …

Here’s a few interesting bits of vexillology and imperialist sentiment that I came across when researching the previous two posts. The detailed mix of the issues of flag similarity and representations of relationships to imperialism and colonialism just gets more and … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Maori, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

False flag logic – Part II: ‘Out, damned Jack!’

Out, damned spot! Out, I say!—One, two. Why, then, ’tis time to do ’t. Lady MacBeth in ‘MacBeth’ (Act 5, Scene 1) – William Shakespeare One of the main arguments put forward in favour of a flag change for New … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Media, Military, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , , | 9 Comments

False flag logic – Part I: ‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi Oi!’

It looks like there’ll be no change to the New Zealand flag as a result of the current flag referendum. There’s any number of reasons why that’s so. It may be that the strongest reason turns out to be the unfortunately designed … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Maori, Military, National Identity, New Zealand Politics | 2 Comments

Pointless referenda I would like

Well, the flag’s well and truly come down for the start of the silly season so let’s get into the spirit of it all. Yes, time to put aside all that serious politico stuff that ‘lefties’ get so uptight about. As … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Pointless referenda I would like

PMs just wanna have fun …

According to John Key it was all just innocent “horsing around“. It wasn’t, of course – as John Armstrong in the New Zealand Herald understands. And Key knew that too. All his protests to the contrary amount to him pulling our collective … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Human Nature, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Polls, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Flagging interest in ‘folly’ of vexillology

John Key seems like an unlikely vexillologist – or should that be vexillographer?. That aside, what was John Key ‘flagging’ when he proposed a referendum on New Zealand’s national flag to coincide with this year’s election – without having already … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Adam Smith and the Left and Right of Moral Sentiment – A Christmas Tale

[I’m on holiday in a place with very limited and irregular cellphone coverage and access to the internet. That means I haven’t included links in this post but, when I’ve quoted from Adam Smith’s work, I’ve referenced the ‘Part’ and … Continue reading

Posted in Economics, Free Market, Human Nature, Human Wellbeing, National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Philosophy | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Key’s approach won’t work “over time”

It is often said that those who “Live by the sword, die by the sword“. It might also be said that those politicians who, less excitingly, live by portraying themselves as ‘pragmatic’ and ‘non-ideological’ will, in the fullness of time, … Continue reading

Posted in National Identity, New Zealand Politics, Political Psychology | Tagged , , , , | 14 Comments

Water, Waitangi, ownership and power

There’s a reason why we talk about property rights. Owning property without having any rights to it makes as much sense as having rights to something without owning it in some way. ‘Water rights’ and ‘water ownership’ are, in all … Continue reading

Posted in Democracy, Economics, Free Market, Freedom, Maori, National Identity, New Zealand Politics | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Water, Waitangi, ownership and power