John Wren (3 April 1871 – 26 October 1953) was an Australian businessman. He has become a legendary figure thanks mainly to a fictionalised account of his life in Frank Hardy's novel Power Without Glory, which was also made into a television series. Wren exercised considerable influence in Victorian politics and business, but he was not as powerful as subsequent legend has suggested. Wren's granddaughter, Gabrielle Pizzi, also achieved renown as an art dealer credited with raising the profile of Aboriginal art.
Read more about John Wren: Early Life, Racing, Boxing and Golfing Activities, Political Influence, Power Without Glory, Death and Posthumous Reputation
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“Ambivalence reaches the level of schizophrenia in our treatment of violence among the young. Parents do not encourage violence, but neither do they take up arms against the industries which encourage it. Parents hide their eyes from the books and comics, slasher films, videos and lyrics which form the texture of an adolescent culture. While all successful societies have inhibited instinct, ours encourages it. Or at least we profess ourselves powerless to interfere with it.”
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