quicko: thin skins

Now, I'll issue this with the caveat that it might not be entirely true -- might be subject to opinion, or subject, or et cetera -- but an Australian friend confirmed my suspicion today that Australians are -- possibly, at times -- much more thin-skinned than they'd ever like to let on.  Case in point:  the unanimous "!!!" with which Australians throw up their arms when one hints that maybe, maybe they aren't the hardest working people on the planet.  Australians, we decided, are perfectly capable of dishing it liberally out, but ... really ... don't ... like ... to ... take ... it.  Ouch.