Tall Poppy Syndrome - our best invention?

Hype or not, there is evidence of Tall Poppy Syndrome (TPS) in New Zealand (but that isn't really a question, right?).

What I wonder, is this New Zealands best invention? Our ability to knock those that rise above the rest? Stay with me here.

We have to look at it from a few scenarios, as adults our experience is vastly different than as children. As children Tall Poppy Syndrome can quash aspirations, that is they pop their head up and get knocked back. Thus they learn their lesson, don't pop your head up, or if you do - do it quietly so people don't notice. I suspect that majority take the former as a lesson.

Adults however we are (hopefully) stronger as individuals such that when we experience TPS it is much easier to brush it off. Further we can control our situations and context to a higher degree than children so we can surround ourselves with supportive people. However it can still inhibit opportunities, those that are dishing it out can be afraid of the 'tall poppies' who rise above and challenge the norm.

One view is that the harshness of TPS is that only the strong survive, only those that can cut the mustard make it, it sorts the men from the boys per se. I myself have used TPS as a motivator, as fuel to the fire. Again I take it back to as children, do we really want to quash people before they give it a go?

This is the view that TPS is good for us, it makes us stronger as a nation, by hardening those who do succeed they can push harder. You could argue that it then is New Zealand's invention (although it is not strictly an NZ problem) to naturally select leaders.

However I disagree, success is a hard road to follow, it alone is going to naturally select winners and losers. Why should we make it even harder? Or worse knock out natural leaders at a young age? Shouldn't our aim be to maximise the amount of people rising their head above the rest? And in turn create a pool of tall poppies? In a global knowledge economy this is a big win.

So what do you think? Best or worst invention?

- Ben Young