Aro-Mind

'A  peak experience  is a moment accompanied by a euphoric mental state often achieved by  self-actualizing  individuals.  The concept was originally developed by  Abraham Maslow  in 1964, who describes peak experiences as "rare, exciting, oceanic, deeply moving, exhilarating, elevating experiences that generate an advanced form of perceiving reality, and are even mystic and magical in their effect upon the experimenter." [   There are several unique characteristics of a peak experience, but each element is perceived together in a holistic manner that creates the moment of reaching one’s full potential.  Peak experiences can range from simple activities to intense events;   however, it is not necessarily about what the activity is, but the ecstatic, blissful feeling that is being experienced during it.' (Wikipedia,  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_experience)

Far out Bob Jones is insulting! The idea that any gains or improvements that Māori have made since the 19th century are entirely as a result of Pākehā generosity is ignorant. And the idea that Māori exist today because of their Pākehā whakapapa (when clearly both is the case) is offensive.  The old hackneyed argument that ‘there are no pure Māori in the world today’ is used (yet again) here by Jones as the reason why Māori ought to feel grateful to Pākehā. We only exist because of Pākehā - a view also promulgated by Hobson’s Choice.  This is deeply offensive as - we can infer from Jones's comments - that he believes there is nothing of value to be found in a person’s Māori identity, history, culture and experience. The only thing of value, that modern Māori ought to be grateful for, is what the Pākehā world has given him/her - language, culture, values, prosperity, their very existence. I really hate this kind of veiled (and not so veiled) racism because as I respond to it, I ...