Sir David - cut out the politics crap

[silverfox]

Like most people, I've enjoyed Sir David Attenborough's nature programmes over the years. However, the older he gets the more controversial he gets.

Now, according to him, the future of the planet is at risk because people living in cities have lost a sense of responsibility towards the natural world.

He is quoted today as saying:

"..We have a huge moral responsibility towards the rest of the planet,? he told The Times. ?A hundred years ago people certainly had that ... They were aware of the seasons and aware of what they were doing to the land and animals around them.?

Sir David, they were chopping down wood to burning it to keep warm and fuel industry like it would grow forever - and raising animals to eat.

In his latest series, Frozen Planet, it was the first time that Sir David had visited the North Pole and he said he was struck by the scale and speed of the melting of the ice. ?The sort of thing that came as a surprise to me was that these things can suddenly accelerate,? he said.

If it was the first time he'd visited the Arctic he is basically a tourist. And many countries have refused to take his polemicised episodes.

I've watched your programme Frozen Planet and it strikes me there's a hell of a lot of snow and ice around in the Arctic and only half a dozen polar bears maraunding around.

Please keep doing what you do best, making programmes and leave the politics to us

[Huguenot]

It may surprise you to consider that he wasn't being politcal at all. He was simply being a naturalist commenting on the vast changes in the natural world and the impact man is having upon them.

Conversely, your own views are based on absolutely no scientific expertise at all. Your comments are founded entirely on politcal motivations, and a wilful conviction that you can do whatever you want because your 'gut feel' tells you so.

[DJKillaQueen]

I don't think DA is being political either. He's simply pointing out that we live our lives and comsume without considering or understanding the impact that has on the rest of the planet and the things living in it. And let's be honest...he's right. How many minutes on any day does the average person spend thinking beyond what's immediately before them? Because of his expertise he is exactly the right kind of person to be 'informing' us all I'd say.

[Moos]

I've watched your programme Frozen Planet and it strikes me there's a hell of a lot of snow and ice around in the Arctic and only half a dozen polar bears maraunding around.

Does it not strike you as ironic that you're inferring your assessment of the Arctic from the man whose knowledge of the Arctic you are criticising?

[Chippy Minton]

Spot on Huguenot - it is comment from a naturalist. Also, just because you're a "tourist" it doesn't mean your comment/opinion/analysis is incorrect.

[????]

Interesting the last episode - the environemntal one - has been dropped from the US edition...

[StraferJack]

that last episode doesn't form part of the core 6-episode narrative tho - it's in a different format with Attenborough on screen and many countries (often for non-english speaking countries) tend not to buy episodes in that format

So I'm not 100% certain that it's for the content

I know several explanation from the BBC have said this, and on balance I tend to believe that explanation.

for example

[El Pibe]

Interesting comment on your link suggests that though the BBC may have been earnest in the motives for their marketing approach, it unintendedly allows Channels like Discovery in the US to err on the side of caution for more political (climate change denial), rather than practical (people want to hear Sigourney Weaver narrate it) considerations.

[Jeremy]

StraferJack Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> it's in a different format with Attenborough on screen and many

> countries (often for non-english speaking

> countries) tend not to buy episodes in that format

Yep - even other English-speaking countries sometimes prefer to use their own voiceovers instead of Attenborough (Sigourney Weaver narrated the US version of Planet Earth).

[Jeremy]

Planet Earth - the nature documentary, not the Duran Duran song.

[Brendan]

So basically translated the OP states.

?Please stop saying things that I disagree with.?

[the-e-dealer]

Yeah leave the Politics to Experts like Silverfox . I feel So Safe!

[silverfox]

Thank you the-e-dealer.

Unfortunately you didn't make my Christmas card list this year but you've now gone to the top of the list for next year.