Answers for Adam: Was the passion shown by Packer and Gyngell a good thing?
After a dramatic 24-hours with a fight between media execs and protest stopping a live TV show Adam Ferrier asks if this refreshing show of passion is good for society.
So two things have happened over the last 24 hours that make we think we’re on the right track again. A bit of biffo and a protest.
The fact that David Gyngell and James Packer had a punch-up on Sunday was interesting, what’s remarkable is that the fight seemed to get past the political correctness keeper and Australia just accepted this quintessentially Australian scene. Two mates of equal power sorting something out with a quick punch up, and then quickly declaring that they’ve been mates for years and still respect each other.
Later that day on Q&A the weirdest thing happened – ‘an organised protest’. Well sort of. A group of around 20 (presumably) students unfurled a banner and began chanting against the proposed changes to tertiary education (interestingly when this happen ABC switched (belatedly) to some music by Katie Noonan – as someone said on Twitter ‘the closest the ABC gets to a commercial break’).
I enjoy watching people act with passion – breaking the controls we all feel every day on our lives.
I’m not sure if it’s just me – but we used to tolerate much more ‘out there’ behaviour. I read once that a normal Elizabethan man walking down the street today would be so demonstrative compared to how we act today that they would be locked up for being insane. To me if feels like our society is becoming increasingly conformist (I don’t know how to prove that – anyone?), and people are afraid to break conventions for what they feel is right.
A little more biffo between equals to sort things out, and a few more protests by the minority to get heard by the majority could be good. I enjoyed watching these people act from the heart.
My question is, should such acts of passion we’ve seen on the streets of Bondi and in the ABC studios be encouraged or derided?
Adam Ferrier is CSO / Partner at independent creative and media agency, Cummins&Partners. Twitter @adamferrier
The protest on Q&A last night:
The protesters on q&a had a fair point very poorly presented. They did themselves no favours by mishandling an opportunity to ‘preach to the unconverted’. Their side of the issue on tertiary fees is perhaps the stronger, yet they used outdated tactics to get their message across. And to relatively middle Australia (viewers of q&a are not all left wing) they came across as a bunch of extremists. The message was lost in their handling of medium. If you want to defeat Christpher Pyne’s point of view, then come armed with facts and express them cogently. Entertaining though he is, his facts could be quite easily anticipated and countered with proper research.
If they need a best-practice model, these students should start with Cathy McGowan’s campaign for Indi at the last election. Being heard is easy. Swaying the middle ground is something else completely.
Packer v Gyngell. Hilarious. Bring it.
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The thought of demonstrations of ‘passion’ as a cultural construct is really interesting, and possibly worth getting some views from folk from overseas on this one. For example i’ve had interesting conversations in this space with people from the UK who say they just don’t see the ‘passion’ in Aussies (referencing everything from sport to even things like work). Arguably we’d look to the likes of Italian, Spanish, South American etc etc cultures as the ‘passion encouragers’ perhaps? Aussies are generally reknowned as being pretty laid back/ salt of the earth/ “she’ll be right mate” types – so possibly a bit of a trade-off happening? But everyone has a breaking point, perhaps ours just a tad further away…
In saying that I’m guessing American media may see the JP v DG thing as another example of ‘fiery Aussies’ (like the Sam Worthington, Russel Crowe type examples perhaps)?
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Passion is for people with brains who care about issues and others. Neither of those two clowns qualify.
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If only these demonstrators were to carry their passion with them beyond University (instead of selling out and taking the cash),,, we may actually have some decent politicians instead of Christopher Pyne and his ilk.
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Lucky it wasn’t a cowards punch in Bondi… why does this fight get a headline?
Violent behaviour is violent behaviour.
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Isn’t there some hypocrisy in making light of the Packer/Gyngell only months after general consensus (in media and politics) about the evils of the coward Punch, or whatever brand it was given? Pretty sure the papers making puns for headlines today also played strong roles in the campaign against male-on-male physical violence.
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What “Me” is talking about was pretty much where the debate was going if the first girl was allowed to continue asking questions. But, one thing they have achieved with the protest is exposure outside of the Q&A audience onto the likes of twitter, where it may strike a chord with other young people. I doubt it was that well thought out, but it seems to have worked.
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@mark. The woman in red who wished to dissociate herself with the protesters appeared to be moving in that direction. Right now, the Liberals are sniffing the wind. What are they bringing in the next budget and what are they taking to the next election. Twitter is aflame with this issue, but the extremists are polarising the audience and perhaps even playing into the Liberals’ hands.
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Students were passionate, but ultimately shambolic and anachronistic. Making that greasy toad Pyne look reasonable is quite the feat.
As for Packer and Gyngell – a pair of wealthy meat-heads demonstrating perfectly the old adage that money can’t buy class.
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The Bondi biffo was between two consenting, fully aware mates with no obvious power imbalance. There was also potentially a positive outcome of ‘having it out’ (kind of my point) – this clearly differentiates it from destructive forms of violence.
As for the protesters unfortunately I agree with most of the comments above – nice idea but the execution felt even more smarmy than Christopher Pyne.
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Idiots galore. This is not passion. This is indulgence and stupidity.
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What I find hypocritical is that New Ltd glamorised the Packer fight, yet, this is the same media outlet which recently launched the One Punch Campaign (in response to a series of violent assaults in Sydney’s King Cross). I feel that there is a double standard being applied here – one law for the rich and powerful, and one law for everyone else.
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This comment disturbs me as does the fight itself. it shows a complete lack of self control and maturity. This is a country of poor leadership and role models and these men are no exception. We should expect better from them, not a pat on the back.
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Middle aged men fighting on the street and idiot, entitled students demanding even more than they get now. Give me a break.
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So Adam, you’re happy for another child to bash yours as long as they are the same size? What a load of macho crap.
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I’d pay money to see Ferrier vs Nobay.
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Anyone see MTC’s Rupert? The tousle reminded me of the play’s portrayal of there Packers, I have to laugh.
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Agree with Ed. There has been a huge amount of money, time and effort put into trying to curb street violence. So many people must be staring in disbelief as their work just became trashed through the Media glorification of street fighting.
The slippery slope effect here is ‘if those rich guys can do it, without the police hauling them off it’s OK. And it’s on TV, Twitter and YouTube! It’s cool!
Every ‘that’s the Aussie way’ smirk by the media hammered a nail into that campaign. Adam – you may have become part of the problem.
The media had an opportunity to take a huge stand and back the campaign – epic fail by all.
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When did we all get so soft?
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@Father, when we started using our brains.
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Pyne vs Rudd – now that I would pay to see.
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