Idiot/Savant gets it right

[trixtah]

With his tribute to Sir Edmund Hillary:

Bugger. He'd had a long life, and everyone goes sometime, but bugger just the same. He was a great New Zealander and a kiwi hero, not for climbing a mountain (though at the time people thought that was impressive), but for what he did afterwards. And he quietly symbolised kiwi values - honesty, decency, modesty - not like the loud and self-inflated "heroes" of the business community, who mostly seem to symbolise greed, selfishness, and self-aggrandisement. New Zealand just won't be the same without him quietly reminding us just by his presence of what really matters. Bugger.

I'm not a flag-waving patriot, but Sir Ed certainly epitomised a breed of New Zealander who I think we could all do well to emulate. It's just a shame the type of people that are increasingly promoted in the media are those whose natural mileu seems more that of ripping off people with dodgy Gold Coast timeshares. Here's hoping that more kiwis start reflecting on what values they truly want to demonstrate.