Flindt on Friday and Monbiot.

[RobAnglia]

Bit of a maelstrom spinning up on Twitter, with several complaints to FW already I believe.

Poorly chosen words, with any of their questionable humour totally lost to George's followers. Pure venom being directed once again at all of british farming, livestock especially.

Why wasn't this proof read?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1223210154902147073

Apologies if an alike thread is already running.

 

[primmiemoo]

Not making fun of the cancer by my reading. Sending up the person, but not the ailment.
Think it's on the satire end of the spectrum, isn't it?

 

[RobAnglia]

Yes, I agree, satire. A bit clumsy though and unfortunately directed at someone who is going to turn it back against the author in the strongest way possible. The exaggerated outrage by the majority of followers, who loath livestock farming, land ownership, etc, is quite predictable.

 

[primmiemoo]

Says more about them than about @Charlie Flindt , then.

Mr Monbiot has a substantial claque, but, believe it or not, there are some Grauniad readers who can think for themselves and are going off him.

 

[Brisel]

Not making fun of the cancer by my reading. Sending up the person, but not the ailment.
Think it's on the satire end of the spectrum, isn't it?

That was how I read it too. Hardly wishing that Monbiot dies of prostate cancer, more that a crusader of nature is using modern medicine to help with it, and modern technology to spread his indignation.

Of course the bleeding hearts are taking this the wrong way and in this very thread we are adding oxygen to the story. Move along, people. There’s nothing to see here.

 

[GeorgeK]

I think George Monbiot does read TFF on occasion so surely the best thing to do is make it clear we all feel for him and hope he gets better very soon. I'm sure if it was the other way round and he was making poorly judged observations, no matter how light-hearted, between a farmer with a serious illness and their lifestyle or views, we would be duly outraged

 

[Martin Holden]

Not making fun of the cancer by my reading. Sending up the person, but not the ailment.
Think it's on the satire end of the spectrum, isn't it?

I think GM is trying to score a solitary almost invisible point here. For sure I wouldn’t wish such any serious ailment on my worst enemy but Charlie wasn’t ridiculing they condition. Read the article from another perspective George

 

[David.]

You are not allowed to even lightly mock those who have claimed the moral high ground for themselves.
Poor Mr Monbiot, dishes his venom and selected truths freely, and cannot take a fairly gentle bit of satire.
Unsurprisingly, there is no shortage of loyal followers to weigh in with their contrived outrage, and to assist him in being offended.

 

[Goweresque]

As I recall Jo Brand was recently cleared of any impropriety by OFCOM after she 'joked' on a BBC program that instead of throwing a milk shake over Nigel Farage a protester should have used battery acid. And I'm sure her BBC career (or her standing with the Guardian) will not be in any way damaged by it.

So George can suck it up. All's fair in the rough and tumble of politics these days.

 

[David.]

It is all about context, you can always carefully select excerpts and soundbites to be offended by, as Monbiot has done.
I heard Jo Brands observation live, and in the context of a fairly low comedy show, it was no worse than all the other right on, Lefty bile, even mildly amusing although in poor taste.
I'm sure Mr Flindt will rise above trial by social media, which usually tells more about those that invoke it, than it does about the accused.

 

[Charlie Flindt]

I'm very late to catch up with thread - apologies. My rule (told to me by my Journo guru) is to ask yourself, when writing about someone, especially critically, is "would I say it to his face?" And, yes, I very much would.

 

[Charlie Flindt]

I've just found our what a Twitter Storm is, too. Bit late, but all very exciting.

 

[Brisel]

Perhaps social media could be a topic for one of your Farmers Weekly columns?

 

[e3120]

And the merits of only taking notice 3 months later.

 

[Charlie Flindt]

Perhaps social media could be a topic for one of your Farmers Weekly columns?

Luckily, what with bendy steering wheels and bizarre weather, I've got plenty of fodder for articles. I'm gunning for the soil eco-fanatics nest week.

 

[Al R]

If you were any more laid back you’d be a deck chair
Keep writing Charlie

 

[Brisel]

Luckily, what with bendy steering wheels and bizarre weather, I've got plenty of fodder for articles. I'm gunning for the soil eco-fanatics nest week.

I look forward to that! Plenty in TFF. Just hang around the Direct Drilling forums

 

[Al R]

@Charlie Flindt how much was a new steering wheel?

 

[Charlie Flindt]

@Charlie Flindt how much was a new steering wheel?

Pay? Moi?

 

[Al R]

Pay? Moi?

How much should it have been then ?‍