Written By:
all_your_base - Date published:
9:58 am, October 7th, 2007 - 2 comments
Categories: sport -
Tags: sport
The current rise of populism challenges the way we think about people’s relationship to the economy.We seem to be entering an era of populism, in which leadership in a democracy is based on preferences of the population which do not seem entirely rational nor serving their longer interests. ...
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The All Blacks have always been the team to beat in world rugby and, as usual, in this Rugby World Cup, they were the outright favourites.
Their inability to win since they took the Cup in 1987 appears to be inexplicable, but the reality is, every other team in the world sets out to beat New Zealand and we only need one loss in a tournament to tumble.
New Zealanders are not chockers but the expectations and obsession of New Zealanders on the shoulders of such young men is nearly intolerable. Every other team in the world has nothing to lose when entering a Rugby World Cup and they play with a freedom born of that. The All Blacks, on the other hand, carry a burden that any ‘loss is unthinkable’, so the motivation is based on a fear of losing.
Our politicians entering into an important election in 2008 will do well to remember this. National has nothing to lose and appear to be capable of pulling out anything to achieve a win. Labour may have tryed to be too careful, but the signs are that they simply need to keep playing their own game with positive confidence and without too much fear of failure.
Personally, I blame Helen Clark. Ah well, at least the war’s over