4 ms·

Since when did English == America? All of these words exist and are used in other English speaking countries.

by hegz 8y ago

seanmcdirmid 8y ago
Tall poppies seem to be unique to NZ.
- lostsock 8y ago
  It's used in Australia too
- shalmanese 8y ago
  Australia too
- RikNieu 8y ago
  Aren't Tall poppies rich/snobbish people?
  - seanmcdirmid 8y ago
    It is used to describe over achievers in general. From wiki: > Recent research performed at University of Waikato in New Zealand shows that a culture of tall poppy syndrome may result in a reduction in average performance of up to 20% for an organisation and explains how electronic cyberbullying can be considered a modern extension to the physical assassinations of King Tarquin's day.[17] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome
  - phil21 8y ago
    Huh. I always thought it was more "the people that stand out get cut down" sort of thing. e.g. if you're gonna do crime, don't be the tall poppy that sticks out in the field of crime. Then apply that concept to more or less everything. Googling though shows you're right. Interesting.
  - hegz 8y ago
    From my understanding, its about putting people down if you perceive them as better than you.
  - stephen_g 8y ago
    It depends on whose side you're on. The term is used a lot in Australia at least by successful or wealthy people who feel that they're disliked or that people are trying to bring them down just because they're successful, but I think it's a lot more nuanced than that. I think in general the average Australian doesn't care too much if others are successful or rich or whatever, but find it extremely distasteful for somebody to act as if business success or having a lot of money makes them more important than others, or more worthy of honour etc. So in my interpretation, snobby people would be much more prone to copping 'tall poppy syndrome' than a rich but humble person. I assume this is fairly similar in NZ, but perhaps slightly different.
DocTomoe 8y ago
Then the question should be where those insults originated from, don't you think? I am rather confident most happen to appear in the 1960s US...
wyclif 8y ago
If anyone thinks Americans have a lot of insults for smart people, go visit the Philippines.

Since when did English == America? All of these words exist and are used in other English speaking countries.

by hegz 8y ago

Since when did English == America? All of these words exist and are used in other English speaking countries.

seanmcdirmid 8y ago

Tall poppies seem to be unique to NZ.

lostsock 8y ago
It's used in Australia too
shalmanese 8y ago
Australia too
RikNieu 8y ago
Aren't Tall poppies rich/snobbish people?
- seanmcdirmid 8y ago
  It is used to describe over achievers in general. From wiki: > Recent research performed at University of Waikato in New Zealand shows that a culture of tall poppy syndrome may result in a reduction in average performance of up to 20% for an organisation and explains how electronic cyberbullying can be considered a modern extension to the physical assassinations of King Tarquin's day.[17] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome
- phil21 8y ago
  Huh. I always thought it was more "the people that stand out get cut down" sort of thing. e.g. if you're gonna do crime, don't be the tall poppy that sticks out in the field of crime. Then apply that concept to more or less everything. Googling though shows you're right. Interesting.
- hegz 8y ago
  From my understanding, its about putting people down if you perceive them as better than you.
- stephen_g 8y ago
  It depends on whose side you're on. The term is used a lot in Australia at least by successful or wealthy people who feel that they're disliked or that people are trying to bring them down just because they're successful, but I think it's a lot more nuanced than that. I think in general the average Australian doesn't care too much if others are successful or rich or whatever, but find it extremely distasteful for somebody to act as if business success or having a lot of money makes them more important than others, or more worthy of honour etc. So in my interpretation, snobby people would be much more prone to copping 'tall poppy syndrome' than a rich but humble person. I assume this is fairly similar in NZ, but perhaps slightly different.

DocTomoe 8y ago

Then the question should be where those insults originated from, don't you think? I am rather confident most happen to appear in the 1960s US...

wyclif 8y ago

If anyone thinks Americans have a lot of insults for smart people, go visit the Philippines.