Hacker News Reader

Comment by doesnt_know | Hacker News Reader

I'm sure you're aware, but thought I'd drop this for our American friends. Australia and New Zealand (where I'm from) share Tall poppy syndrome[1] and going by that Wikipedia page, there are various over countries that have a similar concept.

Being overly self-congratulatory comes across as this sort of grotesque and unattractive quality. It is even true in the corporate environments I've worked at where you would normally otherwise expect it. Kiwis don't like it and I've seen many foreigners, especially the few Americans that have come over into management roles completely flounder and have almost everyone hate them because of it.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tall_poppy_syndrome

View on HN

As an American who's spent two years in Sydney and having met VC types here, it's like they toe the line of not wanting to boast but really speak down on a lot of people. There's some sort of hidden aristocracy here, and you can feel like they think they're way better than you.

You get some of that in the US too but there are also way more down-to-earth people there who actually want to help, and advice is actually helpful, rather than regurgitations of PG essays and Lean Startup.

This was my experience as a dual citizen. Sydneysiders are sometimes wannabe Londoners with an odd superiority complex and frequent use of passive aggression.

Having returned from London an hour ago, I think Londoners are mostly decent and friendly people.

That is the weird thing. I think Londoners have little to prove and are thus more relaxed and confident.

I have never been to Sydney, but I do know that Sydney (at least its wealthier population) is perceived as elitist and shallow by other parts of Australia. It has a reputation a lot like L.A. has in the US.

Melbourne, on the other hand, is seen as Australia's Portland.

Interesting!

In Canada being modest is quite important… unless it’s a job interview (whether explicit or implicit), in which case it’s the “one time you should really brag about what you’re good at.”

We have a similar concept in the UK too. However, I have never heard of tall poppy syndrome.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com