Eleanor Catton blasts critics’ ‘jingoistic national tantrum’

Booker prizewinner defends her right to discuss politics after speaking out over culture and power in New Zealand: The Guardian

Eleanor Catton has hit back at figures in New Zealand who reacted with anger to her criticisms of the country’s “neoliberal, profit-obsessed, very shallow, very money-hungry politicians”, describing the vicious attacks she has suffered as a “jingoistic national tantrum”.

Interviewed at the Jaipur literary festival last week, Catton said that she feels “uncomfortable being an ambassador for my country when my country is not doing as much as it could, especially for the intellectual world”. In a conversation reported by Livemint, she went on to describe how New Zealand is dominated by “these neoliberal, profit-obsessed, very shallow, very money-hungry politicians who do not care about culture. They care about short-term gains. They would destroy the planet in order to be able to have the life they want. I feel very angry with my government.”