> and something i can talk with my father-in-law about, as he is from New Zealand... he sees many things differently...
Something else you might find interesting to talk to your Father-in-Law about is the famous “New Zealand Clobbering Machine” and the “Tall Poppy Syndrome”.
Essentially, it is a national trait not to stand out from the crowd by achievement. People who do are “Tall Poppies” and they get brought back down to earth quickly by the “Clobbering Machine” — the people around them.
Lots of people *do* excell in New Zealand, on the world stage. Perhaps a higher proportion than our population warrants. Yet nobody is allowed to be a “Tall Poppy”. It’s just culturally Not Done.
It is almost exactly opposite to the way it is in the US, where people are encouraged to excell individually and to stand out from the crowd.
It would be interesting to know what your Father-in-Law says about that.
thanks... i will keep that in mind and let you know!