Prev
Next

I wonder when they’ll discover the idiot gene

David Koch

by David Koch

07 Dec 05:55am

Must Reads

We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project - this is a caption

We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project

41

Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics - this is a caption

Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics

60

Please enter your password - this is a caption

Please enter your password

39

Filed under: Cheating, Genetics, Society

110 comments

The old “I’m sorry… but I was really drunk” excuse has just been trumped. Researchers in the US have recently discovered there is, supposedly, a genetic condition which could explain why some people cheat on their partners.

I'm sorry honey, genetics made me do it. Picture: AFP

It’s the old Michael Douglas “I have a sex addition” baloney.

Give me a break. It seems that every time someone gets caught drink driving, cheating, being violent (or whatever) they trot out some medical or genetic condition to excuse their behaviour.

“It wasn’t really me Your Honour (Honey/Boss)… I have this condition.” And then they trot out some medical mumbo-jumbo or psycho-babble.

We’ve become a society where we’re never wrong. We’re never a complete idiot. We never take responsibility for our actions. There is always some excuse which is beyond our control.

I know this “cheating is in your genes” theory has been hanging around for years, but they reckon this study out of the State University of New York is the most convincing so far.

But just as downing 10 Jagerbombs doesn’t make it OK to go and pash the next person you see, this discovery most certainly is not a get-out-of-jail-free card. It’s not a free pass to go out, forget about any morals you may have had last week, and then use the excuse that ‘it’s in your genes’.

Now I’m no scientist, so I’m not going to argue the validity of genetic variations and chemical balances. And I don’t really care whether it’s true or not, that some people can be more predisposed to cheat than others. The bottom line is that scientific theories do not excuse someone from taking responsibility for their actions.

Way too often we are seeing people shirking their responsibilities because of lame excuses like their delicate emotional state or some psychological condition they’ve just made up.

We see it everyday in Hollywood. I don’t care who you are, sex addiction does not strike me as a reason to be able to go out and do what ‘sex addicts’ do. It’s another Hollywood-conjured way for celebrities to get out of admitting they messed up, they did something they shouldn’t have, and that they’re sorry. No, instead they expect sympathy for their “terrible” condition, a visit to some swanky rehab resort and a hefty pay-out for their emotional story to be printed in gossip magazines.

This new research about ‘the cheating gene’ is not an excuse. It doesn’t mean you are going to cheat. It means you’re more likely to be tempted to cheat, and the rest is up to you as a person. It comes down not to your genetic make-up, but to your own values and principles.

Don’t give me the “we’re all animals and it’s in our nature” speech. That’s just as bad. The simple fact is that sometimes we just have to take responsibility. Because everyone has a choice of whether they are going to do something or not.

Of course I’m not talking about people with serious psychological issues that do actually influence their behaviour. I’m talking about the average Joe or Jane who just wants someone or something to blame for their bad choices, so they can go on without any guilt about what they’ve done.

It has become a “get out of jail free” card of modern society.

The trend is not just concerning the cheaters though, it’s all over the place. In the workplace, ‘sickies’ are constantly on the rise – the average now for Aussies is 9.3 days each year. In a developed nation with constantly improving and more accessible health care and medicines, shouldn’t that number be going down?

Today people don’t have sickies for sore backs, now it’s a ‘mental health day’. I’m not saying it’s not important for workplaces to look after their staff and their morale, but this has gone way overboard.

So why is this happening? Why do people think it’s OK to make up excuses that, deep down, they know are not good enough?

Perhaps life is so great in Australia and everything is so easy, that it’s a bit too easy. We need a bit of drama in our lives, something controversial that makes us feel like we’re in an episode of The Bold and The Beautiful.

So we do things we know are wrong, then realise that real people get hurt by our decisions. So to escape the guilt and repercussions we find a scapegoat.

I guess I’m lucky in a way – the whole bald and big-nosed thing means I’ve never had too much to worry about when it comes to cheating.

Maybe there’s a link between the cheating gene and the attractiveness gene. But it doesn’t take a scientist or a fancy laboratory to know when something is wrong. And no matter what excuse you give, it doesn’t help the fact that damage has been done.

Join Kochie’s blog at www.kochie.com.au.

Most commented

431Australia, you have nothing to fear but fear itself
390There's no one Thomson won't burn to save his skin
336Animal experiments won't cure me from cancer
313Thomson didn't answer the question everyone is asking
266Who murdered the Arts degree?
246A big day for Thomson, who thus far is guilty of nothing...
231South Australia. It's the middle bottom bit.
231Craig Thomson speaks. Meanwhile, in Australia...

110 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Drew(Darlinghurst) says:

      05:05am | 07/12/10

      Oh dear me . Heterosexuals go a little bit crazy on the issue of Monogamy.

      Many of my Heterosexual friends freak out if their partner even kisses someone. To me it screams insecurity.

      Cheers.

      Reply

    • BK says:

      08:03am | 07/12/10

      What the naive call “jealousy” is also known as “intuition”. We should all listen to it.

    • Kev says:

      10:36am | 07/12/10

      @Drew,
      I am hetro and I strongly believe that monogamy is for a minority group. It is not natural for humans to be monogamous. It’s just a bunch of cowards and insecure people who do the cheating thing.

      @BK yes we should listen to intuition but not the jealous voice. Jealousy is the most destructive vice anyone can have.

    • mary wide bay says:

      11:07am | 07/12/10

      Oh dear me, some call it morals.

    • Fiona says:

      12:01pm | 07/12/10

      And we insecure hetero’s call it the reason why the gay world has contributed so much to the spread of AIDS ....

      Just because you choose to open up your arse to anyone doesn’t make us ‘insecure’ because we believe in making a committment to another person of the opposite sex .... you may need to look the word up in the dictionary ...

    • PaulB says:

      12:11pm | 07/12/10

      You seem a little insecure Fiona.

    • Kev says:

      12:11pm | 07/12/10

      @Mary
      Who’s moral code are you working from. Have you ever questioned Society’s moral code? I know I have. Many times I have questioned the intelligence and lack there of behind society’s moral code.
      Examples I have: It’s ok for kids to watch violence but it’s traumatising for a kid to see a pair of breasts on the screen. WTF!!!!

    • mary wide bay says:

      12:36pm | 07/12/10

      @Kev the kinda morals that ensures kids are taken care of and not deserted by philandering parents.

    • Kev says:

      12:55pm | 07/12/10

      @Mary

      That’s hardly a moral code that’s called responsibility. We all know that cheaters have no responsibilities.

    • Laura says:

      03:42pm | 07/12/10

      Cheating is morally wrong because you don’t give the other person in the relationship a choice. If you don’t believe in monogamy, that’s fine, but if the other person does, and you cheat on them, that’s wrong because you’re knowingly hurting the other person.

      It’s not about monogamy. It’s about respect for other people’s feelings, and putting their pain ahead of your wants. Some couples are happy in open relationships. But they’re happy because it’s something they both choose, not something that’s chosen for them.

    • Dave says:

      03:55pm | 07/12/10

      I love some of these comments. Who the hell would want more than one partner, its hard enough having one.

    • John says:

      03:58pm | 07/12/10

      @Fiona, love your comment. I learn something new every day

    • Chris says:

      04:53pm | 07/12/10

      Maybe your hetrosexual friennds are married, Drew.

      Bazinga!

    • Chris says:

      05:05pm | 07/12/10

      And another thing, Drew. I thought you were a big supporter of gay marriage. Once you’re married, you do know that you’re supposed to stay monogomous, or is gay marriage going to be a bit different to hetero marriages?

    • Clenched says:

      08:02am | 15/12/10

      Actually Fiona that thought of Drew opening up etc actually does make me a little insecure

    • Eric says:

      05:24am | 07/12/10

      Evolutionary strategies result in genetic tendencies.

      One man can impregnate hundreds of women in one year, but one woman can only give birth to one or two children in that time. Therefore, one of the optimal mating strategies for men is to spread their genes as far and wide as possible, having a large number of partners.

      One of the optimal strategies for women is to choose a man with the highest quality genes for health and dominance, while attempting to form a bond with a man - not necessarily the same one -  who can best support her and her child.

      Both strategies favour cheating, in different ways. Men may tend to cheat for quantity, women may tend to cheat for quality.

      Of course, there are other optimal mating strategies too. That’s why not everyone cheats.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      07:37am | 07/12/10

      Well, I reckon if you want to rely on evolution to provide an explanation for your behaviour, go ahead.  Personally, I’d hoped we’d evolved a bit past Australopithecus. 

      We have the ability these days to make not just reasoned but also ethical choices.  If you’re a guy who wants to spread his seed around, or a girl who’s broadening the genetic pool by sleeping with half a dozen guys, that’s fine, just be upfront about it.  That’s not cheating. 

      But if you enter into a monogamous relationship and then sleep around, that is cheating.  And don’t blame it on evolution.  If you’ve evolved enough to make conscious choices, you’ve evolved enough to know that cheating is wrong.  The choice to go monogamous was yours.  If you can’t stick to it, don’t do it in the first place.

    • Pete says:

      08:33am | 07/12/10

      Well said Marley. My thoughts exactley.

    • T says:

      09:48am | 07/12/10

      Exactly Marley!
      “If you’ve evolved enough to make conscious choices, you’ve evolved enough to know that cheating is wrong.”  - PERFECT!

    • James1 says:

      12:28pm | 07/12/10

      After everything else you have said on the topic, Eric, I would imagine you would see the many disadvantages incurred by a man impregnating hundreds of women each year…

    • Eric says:

      04:07pm | 07/12/10

      James1, even an academic should be able to see the difference between a statement that refers to species evolution over many millennia, and a statement that refers to a specific condition in a specific social group in a limited time.

    • Dave says:

      04:14pm | 07/12/10

      Not to mention the child support

    • notSue says:

      05:06pm | 07/12/10

      Love your comment marley, absolutely spot on. Especially the bit about the ability to make not only reasoned but ethical choices. This applies to life in general, not just pairing up. Brilliant!

    • D-Rex says:

      08:13am | 15/12/10

      Sorry Marley, “its all about choice"is a nice neat way to conduct your life but I have to go with Eric on this one.  Human activity is always based on logic / reason / rules, its just that we are not always conscious (or in control) of what that logic etc is.

    • S.L says:

      05:54am | 07/12/10

      Well said Kochie!
      Like that Sydney radio guy who was caught out groping women other than his wife (he had a history of this behaviour before then) at last years christmas party and the NRL “legend” that was caught with “disco biscuits” in his pocket in a London nightclub.
      Their latest trendy excuse? Bi Polar!!!!!!!
      The common phrase for someone who turns into Mr Hyde when they drink is “he took an A@#*hole tablet”. Why can’t they admit it?
      I think it comes down to people not wanting to take responsibility for their own actions!

      Reply

    • michael j says:

      05:42pm | 07/12/10

      YEAH i still carn’t beleive he got away with that,taken
      shit his whole carrear,a pat on the head and back ta
      work and i have to tell me kids, drug’s are bad,don’t do em just because he thinks its alrite
      And the another one ,if he don’t fit koshie’s profile then
      no one does,not on ly married wif kids he goes num 1 he
      chucks in again at 7 ,,preety bloody sloopy work i reckon
      and now he makes double wat Ms Gillard gets but
      koshie,s ol mate wat ta do,it seems that theres no,Ecthic’s
      no Morals,even no Consciense left,
      i live below the poverty line,these clowns get $600,000pa
      the last thing they get issympathy of me
      this country is heading downhill,
      and the yanks are helpin

    • George says:

      06:42am | 08/12/10

      @S.L and michael j.

      That radio personality you were both referring to didn’t ‘get away’ with it nor did he not take responsibility for his actions.  In fact whatever that will stick that was thrown at him he copped it right in the chin ‘head down’.

      And in case you didn’t know he actually admitted his deed, dealt with it alone and dealt with it to save his family and his career, guess what it worked.  His afternoon talk back radio program in the AM band is alive and kicking and enjoying stratospheric ratings inspite of the incident.

      Its unforgiving people like the two of you who pass judgement on these people without knowing the facts then incarcerate the truth that should get treatment as well.

      I mean “move on”! 

      By the way I am not related in any way to the radio personality you were referring to if only to say that I supported him as a fan during his time of crisis.

    • Sheldon says:

      06:20am | 07/12/10

      Its the modern way of saying the devil made me do it!

      Reply

    • Elphaba says:

      06:34am | 07/12/10

      It’s bullshit.  You either WANT to be monogamous, or you don’t.  If you don’t, that’s fine.  It’s your choice.  But don’t play monogamy and then slip up and blame it on some fictional condition.

      And don’t get me started on people who say “Monogamy isn’t natural!”  Rubbish.  Both the monogamous state and the promiscuous state are natural.  Otherwise, how do you explain gibbon apes, wolves, termites, coyotes, barn owls, beavers, bald eagles, golden eagles, condors, swans, brolga cranes, French angel fish, sandhill cranes, pigeons, prions (a seabird), red-tailed hawks, anglerfish, ospreys, prairie voles (a rodent), and black vultures…. all animals that mate for life, just to name a few…

      Reply

    • ibast says:

      08:00am | 07/12/10

      “You either WANT to be monogamous, or you don’t.  If you don’t, that’s fine.  It’s your choice. “

      I agree with this.

      “And don’t get me started on people who say “Monogamy isn’t natural!”  Rubbish.”

      I don’t agree with this.

      Monogamy can be found in the natural world, I just don’t it’s natural to humans.  I think we are closer to Chimps or Gorillas in our natural sexual tendencies and we have to consciously pursue monogamy if that is what we want.  We see evidence of this in our day-today lives but blinkered individual choose not to recognise it.

      ps I’m suprised Kosh was brave enough to ask the question about the idiot gene

    • BK says:

      08:08am | 07/12/10

      I agree that people who aren’t naturally monogomous shouldn’t be pressured to do anything that goes against who they are. My question is why people like Tiger Woods felt a need to conform to social expectations to get married, when it was so clearly against their inner nature.

    • Elphaba says:

      08:34am | 07/12/10

      @ibast

      I think monogamy is natural for some.  It’s natural for my parents, they’ve been married 30 years and haven’t ever wanted to be with someone else.  I’m naturally monogamous, I have no urge to be with anyone else when I’m with someone.  I think both states are natural, it just becomes unnatural (as BK said), when you conform to societal pressures and go against your OWN nature.

      Pursuing monogamy doesn’t make it any less natural.

    • Markus says:

      09:24am | 07/12/10

      BK, the same reason anyone conforms to social expectations, fear of being an outcast.
      Despite the few comments here claiming that it is fine as a life choice, how often do you actually hear anyone say that sleeping around for life and refusing to settle in a monogamous relationship is acceptable?

    • kev says:

      10:39am | 07/12/10

      Have you got peer reviewed papers stating the above animals are mate for life?

    • Mistress D says:

      10:41am | 07/12/10

      Swans aren’t monogamous, but it’s a good bet that they keep the same partner for life.

      They did DNA testing and found that swans are dirty, dirty hussies. But they’ll come back to the same nest at the end of the day.

      I don’t believe monogamy is natural, but finding a long term partner seems to be closer to natural. (There are always exceptions)

      I’m of the Dan Savage school of thought, if you can’t do the monogamous thing, don’t inflict yourself on someone who can.

    • Petitcher says:

      11:16pm | 07/12/10

      @ Marcus: I’m pretty sure that Charlie Harper said that. 

      Personally, I agree with almost everyone on this blog: if you don’t want to be monogamous, you don’t have to be.  But if you know you’re not monogamous, why on earth would you choose to get married?  That’s like knowing you’re allergic to seafood and going to an all-you-can-eat seafood restaurant.

    • Old Clive says:

      06:38am | 07/12/10

      Well said , but I think you have missed the main point, the world seems to have gone into the me first mould, if it sounds good do it and bugger anybody else, that of course is the ultimate achievement in secular humanism which has pervaded into society and the old concept of do unto others as you would have them do unto you is sooo ooold fashioned that it is no longer relevant, and I am afraid that TV and the media has to take a whole lot of the blame for the decline of moral and social standards in the community.

      Reply

    • The CaveDweller says:

      07:36am | 07/12/10

      So now the buck is passed onto media and TV? Isn’t that abdicating responsibility again? The exact point of this article.

    • True Believer says:

      09:24am | 07/12/10

      Old Clive:

      Good post.

      Surely being faithful to one person is a sign of maturity, love, ability and desire to commit and choose love over lust. Above all it embodies human decency and the ability to put another’s feelings ahead of your own.

      Having just seen the pain, anguish and betrayal of a relative who’s spouse put her “want”  before her marriage vows for me adultery is a very low act of a depraved and selfish mind.

      But then what can we expect when people think they are the center of the universe???

    • True Believer says:

      09:24am | 07/12/10

      Old Clive:

      Good post.

      Surely being faithful to one person is a sign of maturity, love, ability and desire to commit and choose love over lust. Above all it embodies human decency and the ability to put another’s feelings ahead of your own.

      Having just seen the pain, anguish and betrayal of a relative who’s spouse put her “want”  before her marriage vows for me adultery is a very low act of a depraved and selfish mind.

      But then what can we expect when people think they are the center of the universe???

    • michael j says:

      12:41am | 08/12/10

      True Believer
      I hope you reliese you are talking about my ex wife
      i could not believe what she was doing 14yrs ago,
      15years married 3 kids and a mill $ gone,for a dickhead
      they lasted 6 mts,,by then it was to late every thing was
      gone,n,sold
      test of Faith that was,i dont care who you are ,if you mean it when you say I DO,there is no getting over it,
      2 kids live with me,and the middle one in UNI is one of the top students in Austraila in her field of study,(smiles)
      10 commandments are a good grounding in life
      i just mix the rest of it around a bit, i don’t think my
      girl at uni has ever played a video game
      but as i said some of these games don’t belong in a
      moden society,they are getting out of hand
      all the best to ya

    • Pete says:

      06:54am | 07/12/10

      no1: what’s a jaggerbomb?
      No.2;  It’s always amazed me why the media has pursued tiger woods over this and why not the women who he had affairs with?  I mean they were consenting adults who knew who he was and that he was married and then demanded payments for damages??????? So all that I can make from that is they were asking for belated payments for their services, which I think is against the law in places.

      Kochie you nailed it in one, idiot genes, lots of blokes just cant keep it in their pants.  How many people do we all know that   risk every thing for a few minutes of panting and sweating

      Reply

    • Tess says:

      09:39am | 07/12/10

      Pete, the difference with Tiger is that he created such a squeaky-clean image for himself, then sold that to sponsors for millions of dollars, who then sold it to their clients for billions of dollars.  It was all a fraud.  And when he got married he made a commitment of monogamy that he didn’t keep - I lost count of how many times - and probably had no intention of keeping, so he’s a liar too.  The same doesn’t apply to the women he cheated with.

    • Geoff - Brisbane says:

      09:42am | 07/12/10

      Jagermister (spelling) mixed with red bull. Served by dropping a shot glass of the spirit into a rocks glass of red bull. Hence “bomb”.

      As for number 2 pete it is tiger’s responsibility hes the married man. The other women were not married to erin. In relation to the final comment i think you will find an increasing number of women do it to the point its almost the same number. Ask any man and he will have a story of a woman who cheated on him.

    • Mike says:

      06:58am | 07/12/10

      Kochie ... if you looked better in your jeans, maybe you’d believe this gene.

      Reply

    • dobbieb says:

      08:00am | 07/12/10

      You can lay a lot of the blame for this at the feet of the Law Profession when trying ever so hard to get their guilty as all get out clients off the hook. Now in an age of no self responsibility, all and sundry take up the “method” to extricate themselves from embarassing positions for which only they are to blame.

      Reply

    • Victoria Cooper says:

      08:27am | 07/12/10

      What a shame Koch’s reason for not cheated is that he is not attractive enough - rather than he wouldn’t dream of hurting and disrespecting his wife in such a profound way. Appearance has nothing to do with infidelity anyway. People who have been cheated on seem to be deeply damaged by it, judging by friends and colleagues. Maybe that’s why it is generally considered reprehensible even by people who do it, except in an open relationship it is just an extremely selfish act.

      Reply

    • Tombowler says:

      08:35am | 07/12/10

      Despite by personal distaste for your personal brand of lightweight, populist infotainment I have to agree wholeheartedly.

      We create all these ‘conditions’- “Little Jimmy isn’t a violent arsehole; he’s a sufferer of Hitler Syndrome…”

      “Okay; what are the symptoms of this ‘Hitler Syndrome”

      “Well.. it makes him act like a violent arsehole..”

      Psychology is, in many ways, a faux-medical field developed by big pharma to massively increase the consumer base for pharmaceuticals. Every kid has some sort of illness and every lazy f#$% is depressed and noone takes responsibility for themselves anymore.

      The worst thing here is that it detracts from the relatively low number of actual sufferers of a chemical imbalance and reflects poorly on them in some instances.

      In my view: How is a personality disorder an illness and not just someone with a less-than-desirable personality? Why can’t we just accept that some people are lazy, selfish, violent or just rude arseholes? If we do these people will learn to be more socialised a lot faster than if they can behave as they see fit, pop a few meds and cry ‘it’s not me, its the ‘I’m a total arsehole syndrome’...

      OR:

      “I can’t work because I have depression. I don’t like getting out of bed early and doing manual work so instead I must stay at home watching telly and eating anti-depressants and collecting benefits.”

      Well f$?ce I don’t like getting up early in the morning either but I do because I like being productive. When the desire to remain in bed outweighs the desire to provide/be productive it’s simply lazy. Laziness is not an illness.

      No mate. It’s f$%@#ng just you.

      Reply

    • Elphaba says:

      09:04am | 07/12/10

      I don’t like him either, but he is right on this one…

    • Dazeddazza says:

      09:44am | 07/12/10

      It is sad to read comments such as that given by Tombowler.  He is entitled to his say, however there are many, not relatively low, cases of genuine breakdowns where normally productive people have a mental health issue which is resolved by effective counselling by his so called “faux ” medical health professionals and medication.  I know!!!  I “popped meds” for 6 months to overcome my issues, and now well and productive again.  Think first before generalising.

    • tombowler says:

      09:54am | 07/12/10

      Apologies Dazedazza,

      Hadn’t managed my coffee/cigarette before work this morning so I was a little less coherent than I hoped..

      I didn’t mean to generalise- my point was actually that those who seem to be perpetually “suffering” conditions- something that is encouraged by the vested interests of both psychologists and the pharmaceutical industry DETRACTS from genuine cases who seek a solution to issues- not a perpetual ‘doctors note’ excusing them from work, proper social conduct etc…

      I should’ve made that distinction more clear.

      Cheers

    • Cloud Strife says:

      10:07am | 07/12/10

      It *is* sad to see generalising. I have had depression and a panic disorder for over 20 years, and yes, sometimes I literally cannot get out of bed or leave the house. Thankfully, these times are rare, but there are times when doing anything is a tremendous struggle, and then another huge struggle to keep it together during the working day. I’ve been working full time since I was 19, and sometimes I really, really, really cannot face the world.
      Not everyone who has a mental illness is collecting benefits and sitting around. The majority are hardworking individuals who take their medication, get therapy and lead normal lives. However, those ‘bad days’ can and do happen, and you shouldn’t judge people for that.

      That said, people who blame their arse behaviour on their mental illness are doing a huge disservice to not only themselves, but everyone with a mental illness.

    • Bitten says:

      10:09am | 07/12/10

      I think Dazeddazza, that while there are some geniune cases of mental illness that erode a person’s ability to make choices or to live a functioning life, Tombowler’s comment is not unreasonable.  Just as there are some medical conditions that will tend to result in obesity, the truth is that more often than not it is an individual’s conscious choices that determine whether they are obese or not. Yet somehow, it’s always “I’ve got a medical condition that makes me fat, it’s not my fault.” No one wants to accept personal responsibility - ironically since if they did so, they would regain control over their health and be able to make conscious efforts to improve it. Similarly, the slightest feeling of fatigue in the mornings can be pinned down to ‘depression’. Maybe you’re just a bit tired and should go to bed earlier this evening? No, it’s a medical condition.  The trouble with this burgeoning attitude is that the faux-claims of ill-health (rather than poor decision making) undermine the integrity of the genuine incidence, such as your experience. Feeling a bit bloated after a giant sandwich does not mean you have coeliac disease - it just means you’re a bit of a guts and you ate too much too quickly. You don’t want to go to work this morning? You’re a bit lazy, not depressed. Don’t rush to ascribe medical conditions where they are not warranted - and people wonder why we’ve got so many more children on ADHD meds than previous generations. Because society is looking for a justification for behaviour that is perfectly ‘normal’ if not particularly desirable.

    • Dazeddazza says:

      01:30pm | 07/12/10

      Thanks Tom, I know what you mean, and it is hard not to generalise when we see so many cases of misuse of psychological excuses for poor behaviour.  Hope you get time for that coffee and ciggie tomorrow morning!!  : - )

    • Andrew says:

      08:53am | 07/12/10

      Christian morality didn’t predate evolution, Mr Koch, just in case you were in doubt.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      12:09pm | 07/12/10

      Morality in general didn’t predate evolution either, but it’s here with us now.  So, if you want to revert to being a slime mold, by all means blame it on evolution;  if you want to be part of the human race, develop a code of ethics and stick to it.  That doesn’t mean you have to be monogamous, but it does mean you have to be honest.

    • Bitten says:

      12:48pm | 07/12/10

      Booyah!

    • karen white says:

      08:54am | 07/12/10

      ya can’t fix stupid, and stupid is more prevalent in the universe than hydrogen.

      Reply

    • BillfromBendigo says:

      09:03am | 07/12/10

      Para. 7 begins “Now I’m no scientist”.  That is all you had to say and go no further.  Be careful what you wish for, they may just find the gene that makes morons watch idiots on breakfast television!

      Reply

    • So what if says:

      09:04am | 07/12/10

      I don’t know Kochie whether some people are idiots or that they just don’t care.

      Look at Peter Garrett, the one time activist singer joined politics to mke a difference. He did. Just not the way he expected. Now the fact he remains in politics might not be because he has the idot gene but because he doesn’t care about what he use to stand for.

      Same with health minister Roxon, a recent Punch article has readers questioning whether she is getting health policy right. Now she might be getting it wrong because she has the idot gene or maybe because she doesn’t care what is best for Australians because she has a possible bias against doctors. (Rumour has it she didn’t make the cut for med school and this is her back lash against the medicos, one for the 7 investigative journalist team to look into huh?)

      So it isn’t about being stupid but coming across as being stupid because you don’t care about the consequences.

      Reply

    • Anthony says:

      09:05am | 07/12/10

      The idiot gene is located next to the self righteous gene. In humans it seems that as one gene expands the other shrinks. David is a great case inpont.

      Reply

    • The Brigadier says:

      09:18am | 07/12/10

      There are no consequences taught from a very early age. There are no winners or losers in primary school…everyone wins…...there is no best or second best…everybody is equal….there is no formalised punishment when the rules are broken….this is the way the youth of today is brought up and this is the basis of their values. Why then would they expect or understand the negative consequences of any anti social actions they may undertake when, in their whole lives, their has been no personal cost as a result of those actions? I assure you, at some point society will pay for this lack of responsibility….or are we already paying?

      Reply

    • Bella says:

      09:27am | 07/12/10

      When are we going to start discussing the big N word - Narcissism !
      It has all the tenets of this behaviour and addictions to boot..
      In America it is well known but in Aust we still have our English stiff upper lips keeping schtum !  Time to open the box….
      It’s Narcissism peeps, pure and simple.  Google it and read all about it. Amazing !

      Reply

    • Joan says:

      09:30am | 07/12/10

      Do only singles go to brothels??????????
      If that were the case, methinks the institutions would go broke!!!!

      Reply

    • Kevin says:

      09:42am | 07/12/10

      It’s quite possible there is an idiot gene and, if there is, we can thank our Government for propogating it under the guise of the Baby Bonus. Let’s be honest - most intelligent, reasoning, educated members of the population wouldn’t have “needed” this bonus in the first place as they would have considered the other factor - that of the cost involved of raising the child once it has been born. But the idiots, on the other hand, all saw $5,000 and went ker-ching! Thus producing spawn of an intellect level similar to their own and keeping the government in power because they want to keep getting their money!

      Idiot breeds idiot and so it goes….

      Or maybe I’m just a cynical conspiracy theorist with nothing better to do with my time.

      Reply

    • Peta says:

      01:35pm | 07/12/10

      No sadly everything you have said is true, hence why I feel the need to leave australia before we all drown under a wave of stupidity.

    • Karen says:

      09:42am | 07/12/10

      If you want to play the field, then dont get into a relationship. Pretty simple really.  As for “mental health days” , maybe your work related stress revolves around who did or didn’t put the order in for new toner and paper for the copier, but what about those who spend hours picking up body parts from the roads and try to figure out why a family of four just died in a single vehicle car accident.
      Some workplaces are far more stressful than others, mental health days are just recognition of that. Perhaps if “mental health days” had been recognised for what they are years ago we wouldn’t have terms such as “going Postal”. Besides, wouldnt you rather have an employee that was honest enough to say they are stressed, and that gives you the opportunity to help them and retain a good empolyee.
      As for the “idiot gene”, they discovered that years ago. Its being a self centered egotist.  They are the ones that think they will never get caught, or think they are too important to be punished. Well they do get caught , and embarrassed, so they need an excuse because it cant be their fault.
      “I cheated because my partner wont give me more intimacy”, ” I stole because I came from a broken home”, “I abused a child because I was abused as a child”, “I was speeding in the school zone because my car has just been serviced and they must have done something to it”.
      Sex addiction - the new excuse for rape.
      “Sorry, but because Im a sex addict i had no choice but to rape, given that Im not attractive enough to “pick up”, and broke so couldnt afford to hire an escort”
      All these new mental disorders do nothing but detract from those who really do suffer from a mental condition. How much time and money will go to “sex addiction” research, when people with true psychological problems are ignored. We have closed so many mental health facilities , in order to intergrate the clients back into society, but opened even more “day spa rehab “clinics . Not everyone can afford those clinincs, and there is not a lot of alternative choices.
      By accepting these excuses, society is undermining the stability and security that it has spend centuries establishing. Just because someone has a genetic “instability” doesnt mean that they are incapable of making a “normal, moral"choice. Accepting these excuses just gives them the freedom to behave however they please.

      Reply

    • Lucia says:

      12:39pm | 07/12/10

      Gratefully I read this entry.  I comment from the periphery of the issue at hand, however… at the risk of sounding like a singular complainer in a world of hardship, I put my hand up as one of those who fights for the lives of the family members of our community… or bag and tag them if we can’t save them.  I take on the community’s a stress, I comfort them in their time of distress and depression, I do this every day… day in day out.  I, a nurse, am poorly paid, under-counseled, socialised to “hang in there”.  I do hang in there… I fund my own therapy, but can’t afford enough and I take responsibility for my own actions - if I am too tired, distressed, depressed or generally strung out to front up for another shift in the ICU, I take a sickie, I have probably taken all of my sickies for the year.  I’m not the only one.  There is an intrinsic problem here.  Excuse me for for creating some drama in my otherwise boring existence… I argue, however that I am caring about the community’s safety.  Never mind me.  Must be my idiot gene playing up.

    • Frumious Bandersnatch says:

      10:25am | 07/12/10

      Hey Koche,  nice rant mate. 

      What’s your qualification on the subject, other than having an opinion?

      By all means express it, but everyone who reads this should remember to take it for the myopic view that it is.

      Cheers

      Reply

    • Markus says:

      11:25am | 07/12/10

      “I’m no scientist, but…” is to the idiot what “I’m no racist, but…” is to the racist.
      It helps people to disregard most/all of what is being said immediately following said statement as white noise.

    • notSue says:

      10:35am | 07/12/10

      About 10 years ago I read a book called “Diseasing of America: How We Allowed Recovery Zealots and the Treatment Industry to Convince Us We Are Out of Control”  by Stanton Peele, a brilliantly original and thoroughly researched and rigorous psychologist. He was talking about the abrogation of personal responsibiity back then..and also talking about the recovery industry and the money made from it. I highly recommend the sceptics amongst us re addiction propaganda chase it up online. It’s revelatory.

      Kochie’s article is simplistic, but has basis in truth.
      I also agree that mongamy is state of mind and aconscious commitement to respect vows. Nothing more, nothing less.

      Reply

    • b says:

      10:42am | 07/12/10

      with the current discussions going on with R18+ video games, the do-gooders dont want them, because video games make kids violent. Another excuse for lack of self-responsiblilty and respect of others

      Reply

    • kev says:

      10:59am | 07/12/10

      Kochie, I think you are still battling with excuses.
      1. The psychological community have come to the conclusion that Sex addiction does not exist. The Basic reason for this statement is that addictions exist or is derived from external chemical reactions. eg: alcohol, drugs, tobacco etc. Sex product does not have this affect or by external or foreign factors.
      2. Monogamy is designed and works well for a minority group. Divorce is a good example that people can’t commit to on partner for life. It’s the minority groups who enforces the rule Monogamy is the norm for all. Until society considers that it is normal to be either Monogamous or Polygamous we will have tremendous backlash against those who are not Monogamous. It’s the same behaviour you would see from a closeted homosexual towards homosexuals in the attempt to be “normal”.
      3. With the advent of instant communication and instant “News” articles we are seeing that many so called normal people can not live in a monogamous relationship. Sometimes they are serial monogamist jumping from exclusive relationship to exclusive relationship. But in the 60’s 70’s 80’s you have people coming out of the wood works saying I have a half brother/sister who is my age. because daddy worked in various towns.

      Cheating is wrong, and being open and forthright with your feelings to your partner/partners is the only thing you can do. I would strongly advise the serial monogamists to reevaluate their stance on life because monogamy may not be thier cup of Tea.

      Reply

    • mary wide bay says:

      11:11am | 07/12/10

      It’s just a shame that those choosing not to be monogamous, have such little regard for the children involved.

      Reply

    • Greg says:

      12:22pm | 07/12/10

      Drawing a long bow there Mary

    • mary wide bay says:

      12:41pm | 07/12/10

      Dunno Greg. All other things being equal, all the kids I know prefer to have one set of parents faithful to each other.

      I’m obviously not referring to singles.

    • Greg says:

      01:46pm | 07/12/10

      But really are all things equal. Yes kids would like their parents together. Also most girls would like to think they were adopted and their actual parents are king and queen of some foreign country. All parents can do is do what is right for the children. Sometimes marriages don’t work. We need to be realists not living in fairy land

    • Clancy of Sydney says:

      11:14am | 07/12/10

      I would agree with this story and also i believe it applies to this ADD thing with children as well. ADD is the scientific excuse for spoiled brats and then because we have this scientific excuse, we think it is ok to feed drugs to our children!! Every child is different, and they should be allowed to have whatever brain chemistry nature gave them. Also parents need to realize that they need to adapt to the child’s disciplinary requirements instead of insisting to do things their own way.

      Reply

    • PaulB says:

      12:18pm | 07/12/10

      In some cases you’re right Clancy, especially in this era of the benefits queens who are more interested in pension and payout than the children they have to get it, but much of what gets passed off as ADD is in fact variants of Autism, which is a growing problem for many reasons not well understood, but one of which that is understood is people choosing to have children later and later in life.

    • Clancy of Sydney says:

      02:02pm | 07/12/10

      PaulB - Even with children that may have variants of Autism the principle is still the same…. The parents need to work hard to find and adapt to what works, obviously in some cases there would be limits but i do not think any parent should give up and lay back and accept bad behavior because they have some scientific justification in hand, that is just wrong.

    • PaulB says:

      05:55pm | 07/12/10

      Knowing a few people who have found themselves in this situation (its amazing how surprisingly quickly fertility returns even after 20 years on the pill), I wish for their sake it had been that simple.  I’m not talking simple bad behaviour, I’m talking uncontrollable, insane, and getting stronger as he gets older.  I’ve gone from feeling sorry to them to fearing for them.

    • jamie says:

      11:14am | 07/12/10

      On a tangent, Kochie thinks that its ridiculous people are taking an average 9.3 sick days a year and that it should be less. Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for hard work, but don’t you think as a human being people deserve at least 9.3 days of their lives a year to do with as they will? (ignoring weekends and holidays which usually require other work, chores or commitments - family, home upkeep, special holidays etc.). I do.

      Reply

    • David says:

      08:39am | 08/12/10

      If you’re in a full time job, you’ll also get four weeks off a year at full pay.  If you work part time, well you’ll get more than four weeks off overall and if you’re a casual, then you can enjoy lots of days off.  Sick days are for genuine sickness, not for being slack.  What i find difficult to accept is that for a vast majority of jobs, if you have finished your work for the day or week you are expected to stay at your place of employment until some arbitrary time.  Once your work is done to a sufficient standard, you should be able to say, “See ya boss.  I’ve done all the work you require of me to earn today’s pay so I’m off to enjoy the rest of the afternoon.”  Rather than what people do and look busy, which is a lot more draining than actually being busy with work.  It also penalises unduly those who are capable of working at a faster rate than others.  I once asked my boss when asked to do something that didn’t need doing, “Isn’t that pointless busywork?”  She didn’t like that.  Yes, I admit, I would stroll in late, leave early but not before all my work was done thoroughly.  I once did my job and my boss’s job for two weeks while she was away, all in the same 8 hours and was told by my bigger boss that I did a better job of her work, which I had never done before, than she did.

    • Sara says:

      11:40am | 07/12/10

      Great article and comments. Cheaters (who were in a relationship at the time) are SELFISH INSECURE COWARDS. It is all you. Not the person you cheated on. I feel really sorry for you as you don’t have any morals. You’ll always be alone.

      Reply

    • TheTruth says:

      12:07pm | 07/12/10

      If they were getting what they needed at home they wouldn’t have to cheat.

      Step up to the plate, girls, or lose your man.

    • PaulB says:

      12:20pm | 07/12/10

      Cheater, was he Sara?

    • Gabe says:

      04:16pm | 07/12/10

      Sara everyone plays a part in a relationship what was your part? Is this the common theme in your relationships? If it is then you are the common denominator to the issue.

    • Zac says:

      12:09pm | 07/12/10

      David,

      So are you telling me the omniscient Atheist and Christian basher Richard Dawkins is wrong? Based on what do you think cheating on your wife or husband is wrong? What is the basis of your morality?

      “I can show that from a Darwinian point of view there is more Darwinian advantage to a male in being promiscuous and a female being faithful, without saying that I therefore think human males are justified in being promiscuous and cheating on their wives.  There is no logical connection between what is and what ought. . . .”

      Ref: Dawkins, Frank Miele, ‘Darwin’s Dangerous disciple – An Interview with Richard Dawkins’, The Skeptic vol. 3, no. 4, 1995.

      Reply

    • majid says:

      12:14pm | 07/12/10

      Tell me what are your values in life and I will tell you if you are cheating or not… If you think lying is fine then cheating will be just fine too… As I think, people who cheat are above all big liars.

      Reply

    • Randy says:

      12:31pm | 07/12/10

      A mate said to me recently that fathers these days are twice the fathers that we had and our wives are half the mothers that we had. Women these days seem to have a plan , they dont do things with their kids and seem to flirt at every oportunity because they know that come crunch time they get all the favors and the men get left to pick up the crumbs.

      Reply

    • Jason Stackhouse says:

      02:11pm | 07/12/10

      Nail on the head there Randy.
      And the consequences of cheating when it causes relationship breakdown:  Man cheats on his wife - he is kicked out of the house, has restricted access to his kids, and has to pay them weekly installments.  Women cheat on Man - Man is kicked out of the house, man has restricted access to kids and has pay them weekly installments

    • Kristy Venson says:

      01:01pm | 07/12/10

      I agree I am also not monogamous then again I am also not married or in a relationship.

      Reply

    • Dr B S Goh says:

      01:10pm | 07/12/10

      As a mathematical biologist I like to share some general but not really scientific observations on this issue. Biologists divide roughly animals and plants into two groups the r-strategists and the K-strategists.

      For example carps fish are r-strategists. One mature female carp can lay more than one million eggs in a spawning season. Thus you need a lot of males to fertilize the eggs. Typically you can have five percent females and ninety five percent males in the population.

      The K-strategists like monkeys, humans and sperm whales are very different and have different genes clearly from evolution. A strong sperm whale typically keeps a harem of ten females. Monkeys also have similar behavior and keep harems. I guess we can say man in human society also like to keep harems. So this is my non scentific proof that we should blame it on the genes for the male behavior in our society. Q.E.D.

      Reply

    • Rogue says:

      01:45pm | 07/12/10

      “And we insecure hetero’s call it the reason why the gay world has contributed so much to the spread of AIDS ....

      Just because you choose to open up your arse to anyone doesn’t make us ‘insecure’ because we believe in making a committment to another person of the opposite sex .... you may need to look the word up in the dictionary ...”

      Okay, as a gay person ( I’m a lesbian) in a very committed and monogamous relationship, this is just offensive and ignorant. If you actually look at the statistics, heterosexual couples tend to have a higher divorce/separation rate than homosexual couples. Singles or open relationship couples are the ones who can’t commit and sleep with anything that moves. Cheating is never okay and you always have a choice, no matter how compromised you are.

      Reply

    • Freddy Light says:

      02:34pm | 07/12/10

      Human behaviour is a complex product of many drives and influences:  such as genetic disposition, animal instincts, learnt behavior and even social pressures applied by others.  They are often contrary and depending on which dominates at any one time can lead to different outcomes.

      Kochie is just being part of the force of social pressure that tries to shape our behaviour.  Shaming people for acting one way to try and get them to act another.  And he’s doing it because he learnt this behaviour by past social pressure.  He may even be genetically disposition to be more compliant, to obey societal pressures over his more primal instincts.  But we can forgive him, he’s just an animal like the rest of us smile.

      Reply

    • Phil Kyson says:

      02:38pm | 07/12/10

      Selfish people in any society whatever morality with or without religion, even under threat of death will lie and cheat. Let’s face it Kochie, in reality you wouldn’t have a job in your industry in a perfect world. The news/entertainment media needs scandal, rumor and knowing others personal business to make money. At best your job should be to warn others of someone’s dishonesty if proven as some sort of consequence, maybe? But even then it isn’t anybodies else’s business other than the people directly involved. Our culture has continued to use it as a sick kind of entertainment. How do you feel about making a living off its back?
      You know it just a throwback to when crowds gathered to stone people to dead usually women, after a trial for the same crap if found guilty let’s not forget. Thank goodness our democracy is based on the rule of just laws (hopefully) and the separation of church and state. Beware of those who want it otherwise. As far as idiots are concerned religion is usually a good indicator, it’s never been a deterrent but it is necessary!

      Reply

    • Scott H says:

      03:13pm | 07/12/10

      Kochie: You don’t have to look too far to find the role model that everyone is following. Our political “masters” have become more and more resistant to any form of accountability for anything from sniffing the chairs of the secretaries to blatant lying all the way to outright corruption and incompetence. Regardless of what we say about politicians, we still view them as role models.

      Reply

    • lolly says:

      04:21pm | 07/12/10

      Whats with the homophobic and anti breeder agenda of some of the commentators?  Sexual preference doesn’t dictate whether we are monogamous or not, or a cheater or not. It boils down to you are an asshat about the relationship.

      Reply

    • MEDIA MIKE says:

      04:51pm | 07/12/10

      What a load of baloney. Look the guys fooled around and THEY GOT CAught and I say that IF they didn’t get caught A LOT of it WOULD still be going on. You know it’s the same wherever you go , people TRY to bame their ill doings on a medical problem. Just for once I’d like to see people Take the punishment for THEIR own evil deeds and not blame it elsewhere.
                LOOK….................You made your bed so LIE IN IT.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      06:15pm | 07/12/10

      Umm, yes, that’ s the point of the article….

    • jane wallace says:

      05:44pm | 07/12/10

      the idiot gene is found in all Liberal National Party voters

      Reply

    • Chris L says:

      05:56pm | 07/12/10

      So, you’re all for personal responsibility and accountability. Then you’re also all for the Internet Filter

      Reply

    • Graham The Great says:

      10:12pm | 07/12/10

      Actually Kochie the ‘Idiot’ gene is not all that hard to spot, all I hope when it is finally isolated those with it have to have a big ‘I’ tatooed on their foreheads.  I suppose not doubt jane wallace would have to be close to a ‘positive’ because this is a much bigger problem than merely arguing politics as it really does run right through the spectrum of society.

      Reply

    • The excuse made me do it says:

      12:59am | 08/12/10

      The one I tire of is the one used by so many criminals “I had a bad childhood” It really ticks me off. Ok they had a bad childhood, they can’t do anything about that, but they can choose how they react to it.

      I am so tired of excuses.

      And before any do-gooders accuse me of not having understanding, let me tell you this. Do-gooders took me from an abusive home, put me into an abusive foster home, sent me back to my abusive family, took me away, put me back and so on…. for years. I went through things no one should have to go through. And guess what? I’m not committing crimes, because I chose not to become a criminal, I chose not to be angry at the whole world.

      As you said, David, no one’s to blame for anything.

      Reply

    • Darren says:

      04:18am | 08/12/10

      With all the talk of the morals of cheating and monogomy people seem to have missed the point of the article.

      People no longer take responsibility for their actions!!! Forget the example used and actually look at what he is saying. What a different place this world would be if people actually had the courage to say, “Sorry, It was my fault, I messed up.”

      Reply

    • gra gra says:

      08:33am | 08/12/10

      Genes are to blame, but only if you keep unzipping them.
      The fascinating genetic excuses made by some for their abhorrent behavious is a field in which I have long been interested. I know that the Courts, and society in general, recognise inherited traits, environmental traits and genetic traits, affect our behaviour. If, of course, we allow it.
      Male and female homosexuals blame genetics for their sexual deviancy. Does that mean that pedophilia, rape, granny bashing etc., can all be attributed to genetic foul-ups? “Hey fellas, back off! I was born this way”?
      Give me a break!  Have a look at the faces of these sodomites, covered in make-up trying to be who they are not, and tell me that they were born ‘that way’. And they have the effrontery to call themselves ‘gay’. I won’t call them that. Genetics? Anyone who believes that excuse for any abominable behavior, (bestiality?), is an idiot! Non-genetically speaking, of course.

      Reply

    • Seth Brundle says:

      09:30am | 08/12/10

      So I guess that everyone (including David Koch) who is disagreeing with this genetic theory is doing so based on their many years of genetic research, or perhaps using the knowledge they gained while completeing their PhD’s in genetics?  Or are we talking about just good old aussie “common sense.”?

      Reply

    • Andrew says:

      12:05pm | 08/12/10

      If you want to be Monogamous, and are having trouble, grow some willpower.
      Thats all.

      Reply

    • wally the worker says:

      05:07pm | 08/12/10

      “Kochie”, although Channel 9’s current ‘stooge’, is able to highlight a ” New Idea” type piece as of national importance, the “idiot gene” of which he writes, has failed him to substantially realise the resultant impact on his own genes, having only daughters, no sons. Or has it?  Is this ‘bloke’ smarter than we suspect?  Is he a master of disguise, a super intellect worthy of adoration by the masses of women, (and ‘men’ of questionable chomosomatic significance)?  Well then, one can understand the reason for this creature to write about things that aren’t really the realm of a ‘man’, however charming he might appear to women, maybe percieved as a master stroke of persuasion, if believed by the feminine sub-culture. Let’s have some reality. This bloke needs to get a job, a real one, accountancy apparently does not agree with him. I have a suggestion for him. Buy a Bell Jetranger, learn to fly it, and take some rich Texans fishing up Far North Qld. It’s a new life. Do it. Dress it up however you like, he’s still a git, until he changes his life.

      Reply

    • reisen mittelmeer says:

      08:53am | 18/02/11

      Case Environment,drawing day stuff fix any since fit think reach production project safety package map job population attach reply gun round appear future language spirit major pick stand receive hotel function seriously kill thus secretary effect reference attractive relate finger relate appropriate appear scene fight word appeal remain output recommend touch tool exist reasonable match northern towards organise mark region ministry near lack body train king skill inside flow character course budget force attach behaviour request light depend number apparent coffee expression there aye tradition border victim decision want concentration

      Reply
 
Comment

Facebook Recommendations

Read all about it

Punch live

Up to the minute Twitter chatter

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 26 May 12 09:27PM

Dementor doing a good job for sweden #sbseurovision

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 26 May 12 09:11PM

Ukraine song pinches chord progression from The Verve's Bittersweet Symphony. Fo real #sbseurovision

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 26 May 12 09:00PM

RT @GerardDaffy: @antsharwood all the talk over there is the grannies will win.they entered to get a church built,feelgood story

Anthony Sharwood

antsharwood 26 May 12 08:57PM

These peole insult my grandmothjer, who was born in minsk, belarus #sbseurovision

See all tweets

Recent posts

The latest and greatest

We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project

by Claire Connelly

41

We don’t deserve this huge, exciting scientific project

I’d like to be able to say that sharing the world’s largest radio telescope with South Africa…

Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics

by Laurie Oakes

60

Mining money talks the loudest in Australian politics

When North Queensland Liberal MP George Christensen got the idea of launching a new political organisation…

Please enter your password

by Lucy Kippist

39

Please enter your password

Help! I’ve succumbed to a crippling modern illness that can strike at any moment. Symptoms include:…

Nosebleed Section

choice ringside rantings

From: They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

Michael S says:

"A teacher at Geelong Grammar had criticised her for using words that were too long, which had left her confused and had made her doubt her ability to write essays. She became ''quite distressed'' when her English marks began to fall." I can sympathise. My scholastic mentors conveyed to me a causal relationship… [read more]

From: Welfare for breeders is a bonus for everyone

Change Up! says:

I have no problem paying my taxes. As a single, childless person on a very decent income, I can afford it and not have my life severely altered. Plus I understand that my taxes paying for things like schools, childcare and infrastructure is ultimately a good thing. A better community is better for me… [read more]

Light weight

Gentle jabs to the ribs

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

They must pay for one’s bitter disappointments

A private school girl’s family is sueing her elite, extremely expensive private school for not… Read more

243 comments

Newsletter

Read all about it

Sign up to the free daily Punch newsletter

Subscribe to The Punch RSS feed