He delivered a stinging rebuke but it was interpreted as an expression of sunny positivism, repeated ad nauseam in several tourist guide type books. Identify this misquoted individual and explain.
Donald Horne, who wrote the 1964 book “The Lucky Country”. Quoting Wikipedia – “The title comes from the opening words of the book’s last chapter:
Australia is a lucky country, run by second-rate people who share its luck.
Horne’s statement was actually made ironically, as an indictment of 1960s Australia. His intent was to comment that, while other industralised nations created wealth using “clever” means such as technology and other innovations, Australia did not. Rather, Australia’s economic prosperity was largely derived from its rich natural resources. Horne observed that Australia “showed less enterprise than almost any other prosperous industrial society.” In the decades following his book’s publication, Horne became critical of the “lucky country” phrase being used as a term of endearment for Australia. He commented, “I have had to sit through the most appalling rubbish as successive generations misapplied this phrase.”
Cracked by Udupa.
Three uncracked questions in a row. It is not a problem on its own, but it may be good to lower the standards a little bit or alternate a toughie with an easy one.
But I also find most of the facts that formed the basis of the questions over the last few weeks not too interesting (unlike most of those asked in the first few weeks). If there are many others who also feel the same way, that is a problem.
Ah, a guessable question after a long time!
Donald Horne – ‘The Lucky Country’ for Australia, when it should have been ‘Lucky Country ruled by second rate people’ or some such.