“The question is whether we still recognise each other as human when it matters most.” Clearly, Christopher Luxon will not, cannot, and does not, recognise us as humans when it matters most. And that fact should be a wake up call to every New Zealander. Forget left and right, think rich and poor. Those with, and those without, a home to go to. Luxon’s framing of nearly everything is individualistic, capitalistic, competitive, and neoliberalist. KPIs for this, growth-growth-growth for that. His deep state institutionalisation in capitalism has shaped his mindset to manage the status quo,look for efficiencies and maximise profit. That is the operating system Luxon has been programmed with, and it’s not what New Zealand needs.
I think politicians are exploiting the prejudice that some kiwis have against certain groups of people in society.
It is often said that politicians are out of touch... they are not! We tell ourselves that to reassure ourselves that their decisions do not reflect our values. In reality, so many people have voted for this and will support this policy and others like it.
I don't know what proportion of Kiwis support these kinds of cruel and unproductive policies but if the polls are anything to go by.... it's not the minority we assume it is.
Sadly I think you’re right. It troubles me greatly that there are people in our midst who fully support this revolting government and are 100% behind them taking such callous actions. We have fallen so low in the past two years.
Cristina, you make very valid points here. You’re correct in saying there are some quite happy for this cruel coalition to continue. We can carry prejudice unknowingly unless the weight of it becomes apparent.
A long note here…maybe put the kettle on ha ha! I’ll paste it all over to my Substack chat. My apologies to you Cristina.
Politicians will always add a twist to what they see or smell happening. They and their communications and strategy advisers tend to exploit any knowledge they have of this.
It is deliberately targeting an area of weakness in our democracy, and the good Lord/lady knows this is but one weakness.
The weakness of so many staying ignorant or uninformed. Because their values align with those in power, so are confident they are not being led astray. They are trusting of this lot. Astounding but true.
A ‘me myself I’ attitude and mindset exists in the hearts and minds of some of our neighbours and workmates. Maybe even within our own families.
Exploit. Extract. Take. Be entitled. Enjoy privilege. Attack what we are afraid of. Do not love another if they stray outside of the caged norms we operate by.
If we observe harm being caused to any person (eg. A domestic abuse situation), do we speak up or stay silent? Is it our business or is it none of our business? We can pretend it’s none of our business. We can stay clean if we do not get involved.
If we are content, feeling wealthy, safe , and ‘sorted’ ourselves, why bother to care about others?
Why bother to ‘feed the soil by making compost if the garden is always rosy’? Why bother helping create the conditions for a healthier society for us all, if our own yard looks pristine to us? Because that might be all that matters?
What real connections outside our narrow range of friends, family, workmates and neighbours do we actually have?
Have many people have outsourced real face-to-face connections with real people to their online clicks to and from a tribe they’ve flocked to join? A tribe who are happy to comment about the woes of the world without stepping out into the real world to listen to and be beside someone less fortunate?
I don’t have the answers but I remain curious and keen to engage kanohi te kanohi (as well as in deeper dialogue with people online not shallow encounters and ‘likes’) with people different to myself.
All flavours and colours and tastes exist under the sun. Obviously I’ll be more closely aligned to some than others. I might quickly move on from nastiness, but if I linger long enough staying resilient, I could plant a seed in another and wait to see if it strikes fertile ground.
How do you wish to garden? Another way is to move on to a different location or soil type. Or try a different seed or different fertiliser!?!
I’ve been heartened hugely by the UK Green by-election victory this week. And like Mamdani’s, it was a ‘grassroots’ campaign - thousands of volunteers out in the community talking and *listening* to people. I don’t think that this government has nearly as much support as most media makes it seem, tbh - many lifelong Nat-types are not on board with the growing inequality that is now being turbocharged, for example. Most people *are* struggling, and most people actually do want the same things out of life; call me a dreamer, but I think that respectful conversations about other ways a government could do things *can* bear fruit.
Thanks Dr Sarah. This law and your article both, make me cry tears of frustration and profound sadness. Luxon is the absolute working definition of weak leadership and superficiality. He has no interest in or will to understand the complexities of homelessness, so he doesn’t give a damn when his cruel policies exacerbate their situation. I think this twat also enjoys the performance of being disingenuous, lying to the public and punching down on the vulnerable. The MAGA form of Christianity. Breathtaking.
Luxon is so enamoured with the rich and selling Aotearoa to the rich tourist like his made up tourists “Chuck and Mary” that he cares more that Chuck and Mary avoid the discomfort of seeing the real Aotearoa, than addressing the determinants that led our people to barely surviving on the streets - Fuck Chuck! We have to vote Luxcon and his ugly cruel colleagues out, or we are doomed for more horrendous policies that will destroy our humanity, forever.
“The question is whether we still recognise each other as human when it matters most.” Clearly, Christopher Luxon will not, cannot, and does not, recognise us as humans when it matters most. And that fact should be a wake up call to every New Zealander. Forget left and right, think rich and poor. Those with, and those without, a home to go to. Luxon’s framing of nearly everything is individualistic, capitalistic, competitive, and neoliberalist. KPIs for this, growth-growth-growth for that. His deep state institutionalisation in capitalism has shaped his mindset to manage the status quo,look for efficiencies and maximise profit. That is the operating system Luxon has been programmed with, and it’s not what New Zealand needs.
Hi Dr Sarah,
This is a very cathartic read. You are spot on.
Just to add my two cents.
I think politicians are exploiting the prejudice that some kiwis have against certain groups of people in society.
It is often said that politicians are out of touch... they are not! We tell ourselves that to reassure ourselves that their decisions do not reflect our values. In reality, so many people have voted for this and will support this policy and others like it.
I don't know what proportion of Kiwis support these kinds of cruel and unproductive policies but if the polls are anything to go by.... it's not the minority we assume it is.
Sadly I think you’re right. It troubles me greatly that there are people in our midst who fully support this revolting government and are 100% behind them taking such callous actions. We have fallen so low in the past two years.
Cristina, you make very valid points here. You’re correct in saying there are some quite happy for this cruel coalition to continue. We can carry prejudice unknowingly unless the weight of it becomes apparent.
A long note here…maybe put the kettle on ha ha! I’ll paste it all over to my Substack chat. My apologies to you Cristina.
Politicians will always add a twist to what they see or smell happening. They and their communications and strategy advisers tend to exploit any knowledge they have of this.
It is deliberately targeting an area of weakness in our democracy, and the good Lord/lady knows this is but one weakness.
The weakness of so many staying ignorant or uninformed. Because their values align with those in power, so are confident they are not being led astray. They are trusting of this lot. Astounding but true.
A ‘me myself I’ attitude and mindset exists in the hearts and minds of some of our neighbours and workmates. Maybe even within our own families.
Exploit. Extract. Take. Be entitled. Enjoy privilege. Attack what we are afraid of. Do not love another if they stray outside of the caged norms we operate by.
If we observe harm being caused to any person (eg. A domestic abuse situation), do we speak up or stay silent? Is it our business or is it none of our business? We can pretend it’s none of our business. We can stay clean if we do not get involved.
If we are content, feeling wealthy, safe , and ‘sorted’ ourselves, why bother to care about others?
Why bother to ‘feed the soil by making compost if the garden is always rosy’? Why bother helping create the conditions for a healthier society for us all, if our own yard looks pristine to us? Because that might be all that matters?
What real connections outside our narrow range of friends, family, workmates and neighbours do we actually have?
Have many people have outsourced real face-to-face connections with real people to their online clicks to and from a tribe they’ve flocked to join? A tribe who are happy to comment about the woes of the world without stepping out into the real world to listen to and be beside someone less fortunate?
I don’t have the answers but I remain curious and keen to engage kanohi te kanohi (as well as in deeper dialogue with people online not shallow encounters and ‘likes’) with people different to myself.
All flavours and colours and tastes exist under the sun. Obviously I’ll be more closely aligned to some than others. I might quickly move on from nastiness, but if I linger long enough staying resilient, I could plant a seed in another and wait to see if it strikes fertile ground.
How do you wish to garden? Another way is to move on to a different location or soil type. Or try a different seed or different fertiliser!?!
I’ve been heartened hugely by the UK Green by-election victory this week. And like Mamdani’s, it was a ‘grassroots’ campaign - thousands of volunteers out in the community talking and *listening* to people. I don’t think that this government has nearly as much support as most media makes it seem, tbh - many lifelong Nat-types are not on board with the growing inequality that is now being turbocharged, for example. Most people *are* struggling, and most people actually do want the same things out of life; call me a dreamer, but I think that respectful conversations about other ways a government could do things *can* bear fruit.
Thanks Dr Sarah. This law and your article both, make me cry tears of frustration and profound sadness. Luxon is the absolute working definition of weak leadership and superficiality. He has no interest in or will to understand the complexities of homelessness, so he doesn’t give a damn when his cruel policies exacerbate their situation. I think this twat also enjoys the performance of being disingenuous, lying to the public and punching down on the vulnerable. The MAGA form of Christianity. Breathtaking.
Luxon is so enamoured with the rich and selling Aotearoa to the rich tourist like his made up tourists “Chuck and Mary” that he cares more that Chuck and Mary avoid the discomfort of seeing the real Aotearoa, than addressing the determinants that led our people to barely surviving on the streets - Fuck Chuck! We have to vote Luxcon and his ugly cruel colleagues out, or we are doomed for more horrendous policies that will destroy our humanity, forever.
What would Jesus say Chris, and how are you ever gonna fit through the eye of a needle?