What is the point of ruining perfectly good trees? They have their foliage, they have their flowers and their thorns and their bark. They have their fruit. Who in their right mind thinks that a tree will look better with tatty pieces of ribbon and rag hanging from it? “Why not?” asks the question. Because it looks ugly and it means nothing to you, comes the answer.
I suppose that this is just another example of pagans trying not only to monopolise a past to which they have no connection but also the landscape which they share with everyone else right now.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
It is mildly provoking that you claim to know what 'means something to me' after a brief glance over one of my blog posts. However, given that you seem to be on some kind of anti-pagan crusade and not very astute when it comes to picking your subjects of ridicule I think I'll just let you get on with it. Considering some of the enormous acts of tom-fuckery being perpetrated in numerous sectors of the pagan community me tying some ribbons to a tree hardly seems to warrant your attention. Slow ideas day?
Alice.
“It is mildly provoking that you claim to know what 'means something to me' after a brief glance over one of my blog posts.”
Actually, I had a brief glance over all of your blog posts. Several brief glances in some cases. In the case of your tree-rag post it’s fairly clear from your comment “why not?” that the tying of ribbons to trees means nothing to you, and is just an exercise in romantic make-believe. The closest you get to a rationale for this vandalism is that it will mark “sacred springs or wells or other sites of natural power”. Haven’t you heard of maps?
Many sites which you may regard as having “natural power” will likely be beautiful to a wide range of people not all of whom are pagan. Think of their experience when they come along and see glittery pink rags, ribbons and bows hanging from a tree’s boughs as though it were some hyperthyroidal Barbie doll. Think of the birds who’ll be frightened off by all this tat. Think of the bees and other pollinating insects who rely upon colour and form to find their food. By tying ribbons to a tree to please yourself you’re ruining the experience of the tree for so many people, not to mention humiliating the tree itself which has managed to live in its place well enough without being accessorised by over-enthusiastic fluffy heritage-pirates. After ragging-up trees what will be your next project? Gilding lilies? Spray-painting starlings?
Come on woman. Have some sense. Leave trees alone. They’re trees not furniture.
“you seem to be on some kind of anti-pagan crusade”
Since when was ragging-up a tree a pagan thing? It’s ugly whoever does it.
“I think I'll just let you get on with it.”
I don’t require your permission, my dear.
“Considering some of the enormous acts of tom-fuckery being perpetrated in numerous sectors of the pagan community me tying some ribbons to a tree hardly seems to warrant your attention.”
What can I say. The idea of someone thinking they could make a tree more beautiful just struck me as bizarre.
“Slow ideas day?”
Fast enough to zoom past your idea, laughing all the way. “Guerilla acts of sanctity” indeed! You’re just looking to recruit others to your romantic ancestor-game with trees in lieu of dolls.
Your very clever at being insulting and trying to push people's buttons which is clearly very pleasing to you, but I wonder what you think this achieves? I came to the conclusion that you were on an anti-pagan crusade not because you criticised the ribbons but because you seem to have a negative word to say about everything in the pagan community and not a positive word to say about anything at all. What do you affiliate yourself with? What do you believe? It is always so easy to knock things down but trying to create and sustain things a lot harder. People who come out and say heart-felt things are much more likely to open themselves up for ridicule so I suppose it makes you feel very strong to take this approach. But had you simply taken the concept up with me of 'what about the pollinating insects' etc in a mature manner I would have been giving that some serious consideration. Instead you just come off like a jerk with something to prove. If your concern was really for trees rather than scoring points you would be more anxious to promote their interests and less in trying to patronise me. Especially as your view of my ecological position seems to derive primarily from my careless use of one sentence. It's funny that you see me as someone who wants to play with dolls, to me you seem like a little boy who wants to start a fight and ego-jostles bore me rapidly. Good luck on finding those intelligent pagans that come up to your standard.
“Your very clever at being insulting and trying to push people's buttons ”
Reasonable disagreement does not equate to insult.
“It is always so easy to knock things down but trying to create and sustain things a lot harder.”
Of course, some things just aren’t worth creating or sustaining. It’s a nice expression “guerilla acts of sanctity”, I’ll give you that, but it’s a bad idea. It’s like tagging on the walls of towns and cities, or pissing against a telegraph pole.
“People who come out and say heart-felt things are much more likely to open themselves up for ridicule ”
Then you should surely be prepared to find that people will disagree with you and even ridicule an odd idea.
“had you simply taken the concept up with me of 'what about the pollinating insects' etc in a mature manner I would have been giving that some serious consideration.”
And the birds. And the other people, seen and unseen. And, most importantly, the tree. Feel free to give these issues your undivided attention now and think about the impact of your “guerrilla” acts on others. It's pure selfishness.
“If your concern was really for trees rather than scoring points you would be more anxious to promote their interests and less in trying to patronise me.”
Look at the first lines I wrote on this issue.
“Especially as your view of my ecological position seems to derive primarily from my careless use of one sentence.”
The absence of any ecological concerns in this part of your blog is glaring. You seem more concerned with the guilty naughtiness of tying rags to trees and encouraging your gang to do likewise.
To Leonora.
“I was laughing at you; then you pointed out that you know what trees and dogs think.”
I have only to read your posts.
crikey FogPatches, you are back with a bang.
so, you see no worth in marking places of importance in the ways Alice has mentioned and think it uglifies them. the simple fact is that other people - pagan or not - see things otherwise.
being snide over one person's sense of aesthetics is well...lame.
i am still at a loss as to how this is an example of monopolising something. i suspect it might be you making grand statements again, like you know.. Brython being an embarrassment to pagans.
“crikey FogPatches, you are back with a bang.”
In yer dreams, me old mugger.
considering the vocabulary open to me, i figured i would go with something reasonably tame.
Post a Comment