Christmas Bells

Christmas Bells
Christmas Bells - Blandfordia nobilis

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

The Nature of Leadership

Australia is swaying about like a rudderless dingy. A ship of state adrift without a Leader.



Surely not? We have a Prime Minister, John Howard who is strutting the world stage, transplanting seedlings in America. And yet, when the question of his Leadership arises (yet again), he platitudinises that he will stay the Leader as long as his Party wants him.


That pathetic statement has the same logical structure as the oft-attributed joke by the Cartoonists: "I am the leader of my people - I will follow them anywhere".



I am reminded of the parallel in Nature with the male of the species of the Australian Wood Duck. This bird is also known by the title "Maned Goose". It is famous for its posturing, when it senses a threat (real or imagined). And yet, if a family group of adults and ducklings is approached by a real threat - a dog or a person - the female will actually hiss and even bite the attacker, while the male hides.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Denis, what a wonderful metaphor. So much posturing, so little of the stuff that is really needed. What there is to learn if only we have eyes to see and hearts to perceive. And what a great gift and sustaining interest you have!

Denis Wilson said...

Why, Thank you, Ma'am.
And I even managed to stop short of calling him a Goose.

Anonymous said...

Just about.

I am glad they didn't manage to 'treat' your grumpy nature in that hospital.

Denis Wilson said...

Hi Anni
All the cyto-toxins they have thrown at me have not neutralised my "grumpiness". I shall still have the occasional harsh word for our "leaders". But I am sweet as pie to normal humans (and composers). Cheers

Denis