Amanda Luxon. I mean what can you say. Easter is a good time to publish my latest reckons at Stuff because without exaggeration or making too much of things, Amanda Luxon walks among us like Jesus but probably with better shoes.
Jesus healed. How good is that? It's really good, isn't it. Amanda Luxon, too, is a healer.
There's no sense in taking things too far or drawing a long bow but what Amanda Luxon is healing is New Zealand.
AMANDA LUXON
We seem to have lost the ability to hold differences and still be friends.
PADDY GOWER
"We seem to have lost the ability to hold differences and still be friends." Wow. That's got to be one of the best takes on the polarisation of politics I have ever heard.
After a recommendation, I started listening to Amanda on Petra Bagust’s podcast Grey Areas and could not stop.
And I still just cannot stop. It's all I listen to. 24/7. Amanda and Petra, Petra and Amanda, over and over and over and over and over, really getting inside my head and doing things to it like a powerful and mind-altering sedative.
AMANDA LUXON
I’m not going to grow as an individual unless I challenge my own thinking.
PADDY GOWER
"I’m not going to grow as an individual unless I challenge my own thinking." Wow. Some people will say that these all sound like meaningless platitudes, but that would just fall into the same divisive and angry trap Amanda is talking about. So they can just f... off.
Focus on what we have that's similar, and then work with respect through the disagreement.
PADDY GOWER
"Focus on what we have that's similar, and then work with respect through the disagreement." Wow. Just wow.
AMANDA LUXON
I will seek out people who have a different stance on something.
PADDY GOWER
"I will seek out people who have a different stance on something." I mean how valuable an insight is that. It's really valuable, isn't it. You cannot put a value on it. I dare you to take it the market of ideas and ask for a fair price for it. Everyone will want to buy it if they can afford it.
AMANDA LUXON
We are way closer than we are apart.
PADDY GOWER
"We are way closer than we are apart." Again, this is something I truly believe — but New Zealand just does not feel that way right now.
Because look around you. What do you see? Now is not the time to make things worse than they are or get things out of perspective but New Zealand is barely able to get out of bed in the morning because it is a land divided as surely as if a really big axe has split the motu in two with the have's on one side and the have-not's on the other side. There is genuine hardship. Things are getting worse. Jesus. You know? It’s bad out there. People are hurting. Something needs to be done about it.
And the way forward is positive vibes. So thank you Amanda! I can't get you out of my head. I really can't.
By Steve Braunias
