Last weekend while conducting a tour of Auckland, I stopped by 56 Paritai Drive, better known to most as the rubble monument to greed and deceit formerly inhabited by Mark 'Leave my family out of it' Hotchin, and his [you-know-what]. The spectacle was shocking, but not nearly as much for its obscene enormity as, aside from the construction, the fact that everything remains intact. The stone wall, the letterbox; everything that could have been destroyed by anyone seeking some kind of revenge, or at least catharsis, is completely untouched.
Why? I struggled to decide. Would it be considered an exercise in futility? Is the address too intimidating? Do we all have that much faith in the legal system? In karma? Or, as one of my companions suggested, is it because the Ma and Pa type of investor who lost their money is more likely to retreat, embarrassed by their loss, and be more likely to take their own life than that of this unapologetic coward, who continues to walk around, living a life of excess and privilege?
And if that is the case, why aren't the rest of us doing anything? Are we all content to express our contempt over the dinner-table, or the TV3 feedback page? Where is our anger for these people? Is action, even symbolic action, a thing of the past? Has passionate action, like kicking in the letterbox of a man who has wantonly destroyed people's lives, become something we're too civilised to do? Do we even care? Have your say.
The filth that is Mark Hotchin. Really what can you do? I would possibly confront and scare the shit out of him but further from that without repercussions it's a lost battle. Rob him and justify it with the money he owes me? Could do. Kicking the letterbox in might feel good (not so much for your foot) but, it's deeper than that and can never be filled without your money being returned. Too much faith in the legal system? maybe, or maybe the average middle-class kiwi is just a good person. I'm sure if he resided in America he would be shot dead.
ReplyDeleteI agree that the average Kiwi is just a good person; I really believe that. But isn't part of being a good person being prepared to stand up for what's right? "Evil prevails..." I also appreciate your point about it going deeper than the temporary satisfaction of kicking in a letterbox; I think even if investors were reimbursed, the loss of faith would still be incredibly painful.
ReplyDeleteOh, and steel-capped boots, my friend!
Really? You are advocating vandalism as a way to get a sense of justice over this scum?
ReplyDeleteI believe most of his investors are law-abiding good Kiwis, who wouldn't break the law under any circumstance.
You kick his letter box if you feel like it. Most people know that pointless 'revenge' will do you no good. It certainly won't mean anything to him, in any way at all.
I'm sure you know this and just want the satisfaction of goading someone else in to doing something, you wish you had the lack of the fear of repercussions to do yourself.
When drunken teens descend on his letter box, you can pat yourself on the back and no one will have won anything.