When ‘Topping’ is not ‘Top notch’, but Anti-Green Revolt of the Masses and misuse of public resources
When ‘Topping’ is not ‘Top notch’
we might of already lost our habitat to barbaric ignorance
The same word may have utterly different meanings some-times. Thus, usually ‘Top notch’ is of American origin and followed on from the earlier, British ‘topping’, meaning “Excellent”(in line with “The Phrasefinder” site founded in 1997 by Gary Martin).
Of course, in contemporary English word ‘topping’ might be used literally, stating condition of a tree with its crone completely cut. This sad (for tree) condition may happen when its branches irrevocably interfere with vital human activity, or tree is so old and/ or ill, that “topping” is a first stage of its elimination by a human. For it is unsafe to cut a large tree in one go in human habitats.
Mass-man specialist’ mentality…
or hive mind
Whereas it happens that “next door guy” is quite happy to execute ‘topping’ to trees without much reason, except of ignorance in design and gardening and inflated self-confidence. Wide-spread misconception is about benefit of ‘topping’ for trees: The sort of modern fallacy is only comparable with idea to take away and burn all leaves under trees to get rid of ‘harmful’ insects. I am afraid we might of already lost our habitat to barbaric ignorance.
José Ortega y Gasset first mentioned this trend as one of the features of “mass-man” phenomena in his work “The Revolt of the Masses“, first published as separate book in 1930, where he stated about “mass-man, the specialist who believes he has it all and extends the command he has of his subject to others“.
Besides, “hive mind” of humans as social creatures who evolved together and got used outsoursing knowledge and abilities of each other, – another evolutionary – zooo-antropomorpic explanation made in recent book |The Knowledge Illusion: Why We Never Think Alone” by Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach.
‘Take down a peg or two’
Let us ‘take down a peg or two’ and lower amateur’s crowed high opinion of themselves as gardeners, designers, architects and public good protectors in relation of tree – topping. It takes specialist professional knowledge to decide if it necessary to cut branches of a given tree, and if so, when and how to do so in economical and right manner.
It is a good luck for trees in North America, where municipalities and public organizations protect municipal trees, and implement economically wise policy of using public property (by other words, municipal resources). Without overloading your attention, here are FYI some reference professional opinions:
Tacoma City, Washington municipality http://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/one.aspx?objectId=13050
International Society of Arboriculture http://www.treesaregood.com/treecare/resources/WhyToppingHurts.pdf
Social media on topping:
You pays them money and they take your chance
Sadly, English word ‘topping’ migrated in our language as trees “topping” spread through Ukraine.
We also in Ukraine need efficient usage of public funds, we want preserving our natural resources, we crave to be healthy, to breath clean air and to inhabit beautiful country. Quite in the contrary, our social media this spring is awash of messages about ‘trees topping done by municipal authorities’, or by ‘contractors- winners of tenders carried out by municipal authorities’. Folks discussing in social media mass carnage of trees in municipal parks and public places. About some fellow – citizens participating in spoils of this lute. Furthermore, there are rumors on one of tactics of public funds misuse, pioneered in neighboring Russia in 2005, is ‘topping’ of trees, financed by local authorities.
To be continued…http://saharova.com/2017/04/16/topping-anti-green-revolt-of-the-masses-or-public-funds-expropriation-part-2/
