Some slack jawed dickhead drilled and poisoned three of our largest trees and another group on our neighbour's land sometime in the last couple of weeks. We only just noticed our lovely specimens turning grey brown when we went up to clear the vegetable garden a few days ago. We're pretty devastated, and totally outraged that someone we don't know from a hole in the fucking ground has come within a few metres of the house to vandalise such flourishing lifeforms for no discernible reason. But you know how it is; they were probably dwarfing somebody's penis. Can't wait to pay an arborist $$$ to fell trees I've grown from seed. We've decided to get the cops involved because fuck it.
All this begs a few ethical questions. I'm not a very nice person to begin with and can't help but wonder what (obviously nonexistent) social contract would we be breaking in returning that favour, given the treatment we've been subjected to. My private policy has always been active reciprocation and I know this has stomped more than one ugly situation before it could sprout shitty wings. And that's the trouble- more often than not, in my experience it's been stoic restraint that has fed escalation more than anything else. Going against my molecular inclinations and being all mature and philosophical has hardly ever paid off.
Is restraint just and reasonable, or just expedient? Walking the cop through what this turd had done felt so lazy and ineffectual, and it probably was. But I could never dump a litre of Roundup on blameless vegetation in retribution, even if it did suffer the misfortune of association with the perpetrator in this instance, and even if it did exalt my inner rage monkey at 3am.
All this begs a few ethical questions. I'm not a very nice person to begin with and can't help but wonder what (obviously nonexistent) social contract would we be breaking in returning that favour, given the treatment we've been subjected to. My private policy has always been active reciprocation and I know this has stomped more than one ugly situation before it could sprout shitty wings. And that's the trouble- more often than not, in my experience it's been stoic restraint that has fed escalation more than anything else. Going against my molecular inclinations and being all mature and philosophical has hardly ever paid off.
Is restraint just and reasonable, or just expedient? Walking the cop through what this turd had done felt so lazy and ineffectual, and it probably was. But I could never dump a litre of Roundup on blameless vegetation in retribution, even if it did suffer the misfortune of association with the perpetrator in this instance, and even if it did exalt my inner rage monkey at 3am.
Modern life metes out both insulated privilege and systemic disadvantage to precisely the wrong people, in a process that feels as though it is accelerating. I struggle increasingly to find satisfaction in merely not being that guy that I hate, whether they're some local prick or the monetarists driving our social policy or speeding drivers or Japanese whalers. So many arseholes exploiting the peace. I thought getting older might mean getting wiser, but I feel like I'm just getting angrier.
Hold my hand while we look at ducks.
Hold my hand while we look at ducks.
In other news, there's nothing like a cold fucking bra in the morning to tell you which way the season's headed. First time getting dressed in front of the fire this year.
I think there'll be some film reviews this week.
I think there'll be some film reviews this week.
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