The reality is that internationally we have had it easy. Sitting down here surrounded by stormy waters, we have not had to deal with the real world. We don't have boat people like Australia has; or act as the world police like the Americans. We can close our borders and minimise the effects of the pandemic; we don't compete for water like Egypt and Ethiopia do, or compete for forests, air or rivers like most of the world does.
Down here in the South Pacific, our islands and a few others dotted close by are the only nations on Earth that do not have natural enemies. Even our brothers and sisters in Australia have historically had to peer over their shoulders at Indonesia and, now increasingly, China.
This is the Chinese century. The world's largest nation, just like American last century, is starting to flex its own boundaries and figure which countries will bend, which will break and which will snap back. We didn't bend to old Uncle Sam but we seem quite happy to do so with Uncle Jinping.
Our Anzac brothers and sisters were pushed a lot harder than us, and they have snapped back, their signing of a nuclear submarine deal with the UK and the US a shout to the world that the true Australia battler will not be bullied.
As an ex-sailor in the Royal New Zealand Navy, I understand the political and real power a nuclear submarine represents. They probably were the only reason we did not have a nuclear war last century and they may be the best weapon to stop China taking complete control of some of the world's busiest shipping lanes this century. And they don't cost us anything!
Yes, our "morally inferior" neighbours are stumping up billions in cash to try to keep our neighbours in Asia independent and the cheap imports flowing into the Auckland container port and on to Kmart, Warehouse and Bunnings stores all over our motu.
Perhaps it's time we stopped looking down our noses at our neighbours and started looking them in the eye.
The only constant is change.
• Dave Mollard is a Palmerston North community worker and social commentator.