The Off Topic Topic

[garbon]

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

[Grey Fox]

Saw this on the local news. Interesting that it made it all the way here. We are not lacking in cool trees.

[Sheilbh]

Because we a) shouldn't overdramatise the chopping down of a tree that looked cool and b) we don't really need a symbol of how people are treating nature. We have more than enough instances of human's doing awful things (like the amount of waste that is being exported in to Britain's water) that we don't need to be performatively up in arms about one tree. actually, also c) feels like extreme naval gazing to try to draw out larger narratives from the actions of one person against one tree.

Yeah - also I really don't thiink there is a "war on nature" in Britain. I mean we'll spend hundreds of millions on a railway to install bat bridges for bats that might or might not live in that area

Although - and I know this doesn't really matter - the water thing is sort of true, but also it isn't really true (it's not massively increased recently, we're not a weird Euro-outlier and it's not got worse because of Brexit). But as I say, it doesn't matter, the perception's out there.

[Josquius]

Why eye roll? He's right.
There's a huge distaste for living things amongst many.
I hold by what I said that this is likely linked into the same social media bollocks radicalising idiots in other ways and the general air of toxic individualism that is the modern brit.

Because we a) shouldn't overdramatise the chopping down of a tree that looked cool and b) we don't really need a symbol of how people are treating nature. We have more than enough instances of human's doing awful things (like the amount of waste that is being exported in to Britain's water) that we don't need to be performatively up in arms about one tree. actually, also c) feels like extreme naval gazing to try to draw out larger narratives from the actions of one person against one tree.

And I saw performatively because honestly is anything actually going to change from all this outrage or will we just carry on to the next hot news item?

As this attitude creeps up so too does its reaction. You do increasingly see environmental vandalism being reported where in the past it just wouldn't be newsworthy at all.
Nothing is going to happen overnight, but improvements in tree protection laws aren't particularly unlikely in the not too distant future.

[Tamas]

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

It can be a pretty weird island sometimes can't it? 

[Sheilbh]

Relatedly I've now seen my first tree conspiracy theory - based on Threv's point that it's an impressive clean use of a chainsaw which, obviously, a sixteen year old couldn't do.

So it's clearly a distraction - and it coincides with the run-up to the Tory party conference! A coincidence?

[garbon]

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

It can be a pretty weird island sometimes can't it? 

Yeah, I think there will certainly be a part that we will always be mentally foreigners despite length of habitation.

[Sheilbh]

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

We are a cripplingly sentimental island

Also on the "British Shinto" side, saw one of the Hairy Bikers doing a video about how we've "lost" the sycamore and that whoever did it has just "murdered a sentinel of time and elemental spirit of Northumberland".

And it will grow back - those roots are deep and strong and the stump's still there so my understanding is it will likely grow back strongly and be making an impact on the landscape in 15-20 years time.

Edit: Oh God - people are submitting poems.

[Sheilbh]

Yeah, I think there will certainly be a part that we will always be mentally foreigners despite length of habitation.

What's slightly wild is that it isn't even a silly season story like Geronimo the Alpaca - but the BBC story on the scyamore (that it will re-grow) is the most read story on the site

[garbon]

I was just looking and saw it has long had a wiki page...I'm surprised we haven't seen anything about how even digitally the tree was previously assaulted (vandalised).

https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Sycamore_Gap_Tree&diff=prev&oldid=854278845

Maybe that could be our contribution to the live blog.

[HVC]

Sacrifice him to Woden, it's the only way to appease the spirits.


I blame Protestantism, true catholic faith would have kept Brit's from slipping back into their pagan predilections

[PJL]

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

It can be a pretty weird island sometimes can't it? 

Reminds me of the Mitchell and Webb sketch where they are newsreaders commenting on people's emails on the alien invasion as it happens rather than the invasion itself.

[Threviel]

Relatedly I've now seen my first tree conspiracy theory - based on Threv's point that it's an impressive clean use of a chainsaw which, obviously, a sixteen year old couldn't do.

Yeah, it's a clean cut, but the hinge is too thin, could have gone sideways that tree. He probably just used a powerful saw with a very long guide bar and he must have had some experience. Does not seem to have used a wedge either.

So an amateur, but with a steady hand.

[Josquius]

British Shinto is a good analogy...profess respect for the landscape and nature... but in reality wish everything could be astroturf.

[Maladict]

Why eye roll? He's right.
There's a huge distaste for living things amongst many.
I hold by what I said that this is likely linked into the same social media bollocks radicalising idiots in other ways and the general air of toxic individualism that is the modern brit.

Because we a) shouldn't overdramatise the chopping down of a tree that looked cool and b) we don't really need a symbol of how people are treating nature. We have more than enough instances of human's doing awful things (like the amount of waste that is being exported in to Britain's water) that we don't need to be performatively up in arms about one tree. actually, also c) feels like extreme naval gazing to try to draw out larger narratives from the actions of one person against one tree.

And I saw performatively because honestly is anything actually going to change from all this outrage or will we just carry on to the next hot news item?

Just because (likely) nothing will change doesn't make it performative. MacFarlane is obviously sincere about this. I mean, it's what he does.

I just saw BBC has a live blog that is sharing reader memories of the tree.

That is a bit much, perhaps 
But then again my social media feed was full of those, too.