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It worries me seeing this publicised - all it takes is one unhappy farmer to hear a ninth hand version of this down the pub, and to decide that this is why his

It worries me seeing this publicised - all it takes is one unhappy farmer to hear a ninth hand version of this down the pub, and to decide that this is why his crop is failing, that it’s Spanish/French immigrant insects, and that he needs to go up there and spray them all, for the wellbeing of his country and nature. I mean, see sycamore gap. See all of it, all the time.

pantulis 2y ago
While the scenario seems plausible, I don't think it would be a farmer.
retox 2y ago
Ah yes, those famously irrational, illogical and xenophobic farmers. Idiots that they are, they barely keep us with the ability to throw away vast amounts of food while still becoming morbidly obese. Those bumpkins, those peasants, I bet they don't even know what a B-tree is.
- madaxe_again 2y ago
  I live in farm country. I know a great many farmers. They know and love their land. They are also susceptible to propaganda and misinformation, and bad ideas spread virulently in a small and isolated population. Where I live, for instance, poor practices (up and down ploughing, use of pesticides, exclusive monocultures and no crop rotation) have resulted in awful topsoil depletion and dwindling yields - which is universally accepted to be the fault of Spain, as they “keep all of the water from the river behind dams” - never mind that a cursory inspection of the watercourse from space reveals precisely zero dams in Spain. They aren’t stupid people - but a general low level of education and a barren media sphere allows odd ideas to take hold, unchallenged.
  - broken-kebab 2y ago
    Everybody's susceptible to propaganda, including software developers, of course.
manarth 2y ago
> "see sycamore gap" I'm not sure I understand; are you suggesting that chopping down the Sycamore Gap tree was performed to achieve some sort of crop outcome (or avoid some sort of crop destruction)? The ongoing description of the incident is an act of vandalism, without any suggestion of a perceived (or actual) rationale.
tristramb 2y ago
Hoverflies migrate in vast numbers and they feed on vast numbers of greenfly. Your farmers need only worry if they stop.

pantulis 2y ago

While the scenario seems plausible, I don't think it would be a farmer.

retox 2y ago

Ah yes, those famously irrational, illogical and xenophobic farmers. Idiots that they are, they barely keep us with the ability to throw away vast amounts of food while still becoming morbidly obese. Those bumpkins, those peasants, I bet they don't even know what a B-tree is.

madaxe_again 2y ago
I live in farm country. I know a great many farmers. They know and love their land. They are also susceptible to propaganda and misinformation, and bad ideas spread virulently in a small and isolated population. Where I live, for instance, poor practices (up and down ploughing, use of pesticides, exclusive monocultures and no crop rotation) have resulted in awful topsoil depletion and dwindling yields - which is universally accepted to be the fault of Spain, as they “keep all of the water from the river behind dams” - never mind that a cursory inspection of the watercourse from space reveals precisely zero dams in Spain. They aren’t stupid people - but a general low level of education and a barren media sphere allows odd ideas to take hold, unchallenged.
- broken-kebab 2y ago
  Everybody's susceptible to propaganda, including software developers, of course.

manarth 2y ago

> "see sycamore gap" I'm not sure I understand; are you suggesting that chopping down the Sycamore Gap tree was performed to achieve some sort of crop outcome (or avoid some sort of crop destruction)? The ongoing description of the incident is an act of vandalism, without any suggestion of a perceived (or actual) rationale.

tristramb 2y ago

Hoverflies migrate in vast numbers and they feed on vast numbers of greenfly. Your farmers need only worry if they stop.