The definition of the word projection in psychology is the process of displacing one’s feelings on to a different person, animal or object.
When it comes to Donald Trump, he is the master of projection. When he describes others he is attacking as criminal, corrupt, lying etc, he is actually describing himself. Much of what he says about others is what he is.
Well, it seems as though we might have our very own case of projection by a politician here in New Zealand. Does National Party leader Christopher Luxon’s description of New Zealand as a “negative, wet, whiny inward-looking country that has lost the plot” serve as a good example of the concept? Is he really actually talking about himself?
In any case, how demeaning it is to the rest of us. Who amongst us doesn’t celebrate New Zealanders’ achievements across all forms of endeavour, be it sports, science, medicine, politics, arts and culture etc? Is he really saying that these huge achievements on the world stage have been accomplished in a negative, whiny, inward-looking environment?
I’m pretty sure I know who has lost the plot here and — spoiler alert — it ain’t us.
