Sunday, July 18, 2010

the creed of woolly thinking

I really hope Senior College students have to recite this every morning, like a pledge of allegiance:


It is as if the PR guys were reading Ayn Rand while listening to Whitney sing "I believe the children are the future" and thinking about how much more awesome NZ is than any other country, while knowing they had to write in a subtle "we know your child is a genius" vibe to lure in the Parents.
But - ay? If greatness can't be taught, why would the path start at an educational institution? Why is "NZGREATNESS" all one word, but with NESS hanging up in the air like it was left over from a "Beware of the LOCH NESS MONSTER" sign? Why prefix the silliness with "believe" phrases as if this is some religious cult, and they're not entirely 100% certain? How are they redefining success?
This last question is answered around the corner:
Since when did such generic means become the goal? FYI, "highest possible qualification" is not a reference to a doctorate but to the controversial Cambridge examinations.
Sarah, the easiest way to compete internationally is to participate in a minority sport which not many nations bother with.
However this is the preferred "NZ" way to achieve greatness so it's not much of a redefinition of success after all.

2 comments:

  1. Janet, your analysis could not be more "sound" (the single adjective scrawled on only the best assignments by my sporadically sadistic 4th Form Social Studies teacher). Apropos of not that, a Google for "Mad about Ads" produced what must surely be the Anti-Janet (what a great name for a comic hero(ine?)!): Dan Walton (http://actv8.co.nz/mad-about-ads/). Or is that one of your noms de plume?

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  2. yay Doctor Edit! Your good opinion is worth having! Dan may or may not be a figment of my imagination who says "I love ads!" just so I can then have him say "goodness gracious - what was I thinking? Most ads uphold a discriminatory cultural status quo! Also, do we really need to buy so much? Out, damn ad spot!"

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