Tall Poppy

The term tall poppy has a long history. Destroying leaders to gain power is marked throughout the ages. Tall poppies viewed from afar, rather than as competitive rivals however, have been the focus of Professor Norman Feathers work. High-profile and high-status people, who we do not know personally, we feel we do get to know via the mass media, from a distance, and therefore feel free to have opinions on their falls from grace. Interestingly it is those with low self-esteem and competence that are found to be more likely to favour the fall of tall poppies. Author Susan Mitchell identifies the interesting similarities between Japan and Australia - one country emphasises enforcing conformity and the other is egalitarian in nature - both discourage the tall poppy from flourishing. Those attacked simply because they are perceived to have achieved too much public success, by those indulging in the 'tall-poppy lopping' are reflecting their own envy and low self-esteem and lack of fulfillment of their own secretly held goals, she offers. Mitchell's comment ' the culture that urges everyone to be individually responsible for their own success and well-being and then condones the cutting down of those who stand out from the crowd will never reach it's full potential' resonates. Australia as a nation is filled with promise and potential, Australians are wonderful people and to reach our full potential we need to support success and reward the achievements of those who stick their neck out, take risks, act with boldness, tackle setbacks and turn adversity into opportunity. Those who are yet to reach their potential should also be supported to recognise their lack of fulfillment and how they can go about living out their dreams rather than criticisng the efforts of those who have a go, and another go and another.