Vocal Voices

Of a sort, anyway.

I wonder if it is possible to enjoy a popular event just for itself these days? It came to mind because I was watching the Chelsea flower show this last week. Why do you watch that? For the beautiful gardens. But there's other stuff going on as well. This year on Wednesday there was a feature on the Syrian refugee garden. On Wednesday night there was also a spot on how gardening can improve mental health. There was on Thursday night as well.

In 2017 the winning garden was the "Miracle-Gro’s Ecotherapy Garden – a space which aims to highlight the benefits of ecotherapy on mental health".

This year the best in show was the Morgan Stanley Garden for the NSPCC designed by Chris Beardshaw. Beardshaw's design is intended to be seen as a metaphor for the emotional transformation that takes place as children experience the positive impact of the NSPCC's work.

Can't Fred Smith from Dorset win with a good show of rhubarb? This event is being used by virtue signallers to promote things far less popular than gardening, virtuous though they may be.

In the same way top level mens football is being used to build up the profile of the far less popular women's football, by getting women pundits on and positioning women's football show close in the schedules to match of the day. Again, doubtless with the best intentions but women's football even at the top level is watched by a handful of people.

Similarly the paralympics have been linked to the Olympics, disabled tennis to Wimbledon fortnight etc.

Ah yes, the über patronising virtue signalling of the modern media: "You will like wheelchair water polo or we will call you out as an *ist".

I do not mind someone coming out and promoting xyz with reasoned argument, but I mentally switch off all the subterfuge. I will decide what I want to like and no amount of 'advertising' is going to make me a fan of something: just because.

Fortunately the signalling is so blatant that most of us can filter it out.

Fortunately the signalling is so blatant that most of us can filter it out.

Savid Javid used a racially-insensitive descriptive phrase in his speech to the Police Federation earlier this week, totally in context with the point he was making.

The PC BBC absolutely wet itself over the shock / horror of it, and intense warnings were given prior to its report on every news bulletin that naughty words had been used.

The Times merely printed his comments in full .....

Crommers, I agree, there's way too much posturing these days. They are making a huge fuss down here about the fact they've placed 5 Syrian refugee families in the area, big gathering and thank you to all the volunteers who have helped, and a huge splash in the local press. What about all the other homeless families in Dorset who aren't getting anything like such support and encouragement?

As for your other remarks, though, I don't think Fred would have won anything with his rhubarb this year. We can't compete with your Torkshire-grown stuff. Chillies are a different matter though, and we have our own Chilli Festival at Wimborne St Giles ..... open for sponsorship if you're interested!

I think we are all "ists" is some way or other. That's what being a human being is all about.

No-one is going to tell me what I should like or dislike. The best plan is to keep your thoughts to yourself.

Hmmm,

In a decade or two those ultra PC idiots are going to get the shock of their lives. When they realise that those who are currently growing up don't watch TV, use YouTube to watch films and other content, stream their mustic and watch the news once in a blue moon.

Rather suddenly they are going to find their ratings have fallen through the floor and the audience they should have been cultivating don't want anythign to do with those horrible "ists" who can't show anything British and Normal and nothing overly contentious either.

There was a major storm in a teacup when Valve's Steam platform released a First Person Shooter (FPS), set in a school, where children were being shot up. A large chunk of the generation the BBC thinks it is preaching to find that really funny.

Sadly I won't live to see it, but the touchy feely PC brigade of today are going to be seriously disgruntled not long after I have gone.